Senate Health Care Bill Will Impact 22 million Americans
Washington, D.C. – Bread for the World today expressed concern that 22 million people would lose their health care coverage by 2026 under the Senate’s Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017 (BCRA). Included in the number are 15 million who would lose coverage from Medicaid. This would increase hunger and poverty in the United States.
“The Senate’s health care bill is no better than the House version,” said Rev. David Beckmann, president of Bread for the World. “This bill should not be passed because it will increase hunger and poverty. Twenty-two million people, including 15 million of the most vulnerable Americans, would lose their health care coverage.”
The BCRA would cut Medicaid funding $772 billion by 2026, according to an analysis released this afternoon by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). It would also end the Medicaid expansion and enact deeper, long-term cuts to the program.
“Both bills are mean-spirited and cruel,” Beckmann said. “If senators truly care about the well-being of their most vulnerable constituents – the elderly, people with disabilities, and children -- they will vote against this legislation.”
Tools
from our Resource Library
For Education
Fact Sheet: Permanently expand the Child Tax Credit to reduce child hunger
Expanding the CTC would do more to reduce hunger and poverty among our nation’s children than any single policy has in decades.
Racially Equitable Responses to Hunger During COVID-19 and Beyond
Food insecurity and COVID-19 have a reciprocal relationship. Learn more.Briefing Paper: Accelerated Nutrition Progress in Kenya
Exciting progress has been made against global malnutrition. In just five years, Kenya reduced its child wasting rate by 39 percent. But obstacles remain.
In just five years, Kenya reduced its...
For Faith
Finding Hope, Ending Hunger on Both Sides of the Border: A Bilingual Latino Devotional
Devotional writers challenge us to feel the Spirit of God within us and to hear God’s urgent call to demand justice so all can put food on the table.The Bible on Health as a Hunger Issue
“As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him and established in faith.” These words from Colossians 2:6 remind us of the faith that is active in love for our neighbors.
The Bible on...
Faith Leaders' Unity Declaration on Racism and Poverty
A diverse body of Christian leaders calls on the churches and Congress to focus on the integral connection.
For Advocacy
Fact Sheet: Coronavirus (COVID-19) and SNAP
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is designed to respond to changes in need, making it well suited to respond to crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
Fact Sheet: Why We Need $200 Million for Global Nutrition Programs
Bread for the World and its partners are asking Congress to provide $200 million for global nutrition.
Fact Sheet: Hunger by the Numbers
In 2017, 11.8 percent of households in the U.S.—40 million people—were food-insecure, meaning that they were unsure at some point during the year about how they would provide for their next meal.