Medicaid and SNAP Cuts—What You Need to Know and What You Need to Do

Let’s talk about survival.

Because when we talk Medicaid and SNAP, we’re not talking extras. We’re talking baseline stability. Healthcare. Food. Dignity. These programs have long been a lifeline for people navigating financial hardship—and that includes workers, caregivers, and entrepreneurs grinding without a net.

But the new tax bill—the One Big Beautiful Bill Act—just put that lifeline in jeopardy.

WHAT'S CHANGING?

The bill imposes new work requirements for able-bodied adults aged 19 to 55. If you can’t prove a minimum number of work hours, training enrollment, or job search activity, you can lose access to Medicaid and food assistance (SNAP).

It also introduces funding caps, giving states more control to restrict eligibility, cut services, or add red tape—without increasing federal funding to match local needs.

This is a double threat:

• Fewer people will qualify.

• Even those who do may face delays, coverage gaps, or reduced support.

WHO GETS HIT HARDEST?

This doesn’t hit everyone equally. Let’s be honest—this targets communities that already have the fewest resources:

• Single parents who can’t work consistent hours because they’re raising kids without affordable childcare.

• Gig workers and part-timers whose jobs don’t guarantee enough hours or offer benefits.

• Older adults in their 50s and early 60s who may be struggling to stay employed, care for others, or deal with chronic health issues.

• People with disabilities or caretaking responsibilities who fall through the cracks of what’s considered "able-bodied."

• Communities of color and immigrants who disproportionately face job discrimination, language barriers, and institutional hurdles to consistent employment.

This isn’t about people not wanting to work. It’s about a system that doesn’t recognize how real life works when you’re poor, underemployed, or doing unpaid labor that keeps families and communities afloat.

WHAT THIS REALLY MEANS

This is more than policy. This is a redistribution of power.

If your healthcare or food access is tied to labor that the government deems "acceptable," they control when you eat and how you heal. That’s not empowerment. That’s economic coercion.

When programs like Medicaid and SNAP are cut or constrained, here’s what happens:

• People avoid medical care until emergencies hit.

• Preventable diseases go untreated.

• Kids go to school hungry.

• Workers show up sick or skip work, which leads to job loss.

• And entire households spiral into deeper instability.

This isn’t theory. It’s lived experience.

ACTIONABLE STEPS YOU CAN TAKE

We don’t just expose systems. We respond strategically. If you or someone you love could be affected by these cuts, here’s what to do:

1. Check Your State's Rules
   Every state will implement this differently. Go to your state Medicaid and SNAP office website and get clarity on work requirement documentation, exemptions, and timelines.

2. Get Proof of Income & Hours Now
   Start tracking your work, even if it’s informal or gig-based. Keep logs, screenshots of app earnings, letters from clients—anything that verifies labor.

3. Document Your Situation
   If you’re caring for a child, elderly parent, or dealing with health issues, document it. Many exemptions exist, but they’re not automatic. You need to prove it.

4. Connect with Local Advocacy Orgs
   Nonprofits and legal clinics often provide support for appeals, exemptions, and understanding the fine print. Don’t go it alone.

5. Start Building an Emergency Health Plan
   If you lose Medicaid, know your next step. Research community health clinics, low-cost prescriptions, and sliding scale providers in your area.

6. Budget and Food Plan Around SNAP Losses
   Begin mapping out how to replace food benefits if you lose access. Look into local food banks, community gardens, churches, and school lunch programs. Adjust your budget accordingly.

7. Speak Up and Share Information
   Talk about this with your family, neighbors, and community. The more we understand what’s coming, the faster we can organize and respond.

FINAL THOUGHTS

This moment calls for clarity and strategy. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, that’s valid. But don’t stay frozen.

Medicaid and SNAP were never luxuries. They were the scaffolding holding up millions of families as they tried to move forward. Now that scaffolding is under attack.

Let’s get informed. Let’s get prepared. And let’s get real about what it takes to protect ourselves and each other.