National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett has a message for Americans worried about health insurance. “Get a job,” he says. His comment comes after President Donald Trump signed the “Big Beautiful Bill” into law last week.
The new law is a tax and spending bill. It will cut Medicaid by nearly $1 trillion. It also adds work requirements. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has bad news. Its experts say the Senate’s version of the bill could leave 12 million people without health coverage.
Why does this matter? Many people are worried. Both Democrats and Republicans fear the bill will hurt Medicaid. Millions might lose access to needed health care. This could hit low-income Americans the hardest. They would become even more vulnerable.
Supporters of the changes have a different view. They say cuts will stop “waste, fraud and abuse” in Medicaid. Work requirements, they add, will push people to take responsibility. They also say the changes will reduce government spending.
Hassett is not the first to say “get a job.” Last month, Senate Majority Leader John Thune used the same words.
Hassett spoke on CBS News’ “Face The Nation” on July 6. “The best way to get insurance is to get a job,” he said. He talked about the “Big, Beautiful Bill.” It will create many jobs, he said. Those jobs will come with insurance. The CBO did not include these new jobs in its estimates, he added. That is why the CBO thinks millions will lose coverage.
The CBO says millions could lose insurance. But Hassett disagrees. He says about 5 million of those people have other insurance. “If they lose one, they’re still insured,” he said. “The CBO numbers don’t make any sense,” he added.
Hassett also spoke to Fox News. “We stopped waste, fraud and abuse,” he said. “This bill has many good things. Everyone should celebrate it.”
The CBO was asked about Hassett’s words. It chose not to comment.
The CBO has looked at the House version of the bill too. It says that version could leave 10.8 million without coverage. That is less than the Senate’s 12 million. The CBO wrote this in a letter to House members.
The letter had more bad news. It said few people losing Medicaid would get insurance through a job. None would qualify for tax credits to help pay for premiums.
Trump’s bill promises more jobs. It says 7 million new jobs will be created. This, it claims, will help people find work and boost employment.
But here’s a fact: Most Medicaid users already work. A 2023 KFF report says so. Nearly two-thirds of Medicaid adults (ages 19-64) had jobs.
What about those who don’t work? The KFF report explains. Almost 30% can’t work because they care for others. Or they are sick, disabled, or in school. These reasons let them skip the work requirements in the new bill.
So who might benefit from new jobs? Only those who can’t find work. That’s less than 8% of Medicaid users.
Experts have another warning. The new rules will create extra work. Recipients must log and report their hours. They must prove they’re exempt if they can’t work. Many might fail to do this. Even those who meet the work rules could lose coverage.
The “get a job” idea has a big assumption. It assumes people losing Medicaid will get insurance through work. This might work for those who can hold a job. But it won’t help people with caregiving duties. It won’t help those with illnesses or disabilities either.
Related topics：
Thailand’s Strategic Plan to Enhance Voluntary Health Insurance Access & Equity
ESAUHC CEO Calls for Civil Servant Participation in State Health Insurance Programme
Punjab Health Minister Guarantees Continued Health Insurance & Medicine Supply
