Celebration & Alarm: AMSA Reproductive Health Project eNews #50 – July 19, 2025
This July 30th marks the 60th anniversary establishment of Medicare and Medicaid. Over the last 60 years these programs have formed the bedrock of health and economic well-being for older Americans ensuring every older adult has access to basic health care and comprehensive coverage of health and long-term care for low-income Americans.
Believing in the human right to health care, AMSA started its life as an independent voice for future physicians just after these vital programs were passed into law despite strong opposition of the American Medical Association. Today, Medicare covers over 67 million seniors and disabled Americans and Medicaid covers 83 million additional low-income Americans.
Over these 60 years we’ve seen how dedicating resources to health care improves and extends peoples’ lives, yet despite the success of these programs Congress passed the so-called Big Beautiful Bill budget resolution that cuts over $1 trillion from Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act — the biggest rollback in federal support for health coverage ever. President Trump signed the Bill into law on July 4th. In addition to causing 17 million people to lose health care coverage, the bill also caps federal student loan programs further worsening physician shortages across the United States.
Scroll down to learn more about how the Big Beautiful Bill will impact your medical education, your future patients, reproductive health care and more — including how your congress members voted.
