June 18, 2025

Senate Bill Heightens Risk to Medicaid: Act Now!

With the Senate’s release of their version of the “Big Beautiful Bill,” the proposed changes are sure to cause the reconciliation bill to bounce back to the House for discussion and another vote. Both the US Senate and House must pass the same language. FamiliesUSA has pulled together a chart reflecting the differences in the Senate and House bills, which can be found here.

There has been consistent rhetoric and guarantees that people with IDD and their support system will be not be harmed by the proposed cuts. However, we know that SNAP benefits and the healthcare infrastructure are at serious risk, and it is clear that New York state could not close the anticipated gaps in Medicaid coverage without immense strain on other Medicaid-funded programs.

While the news coming out of Washington can seem insurmountable at times, we remain in a strong position to forward our advocacy goals. Delays in this process increase our window of opportunity for ardent and focused advocacy! 

The Arc New York continues to engage broad coalitions to elevate our federal advocacy efforts. We recently signed on to a letter to members of the New York delegation and a letter to Senate leadership and members, advocating for Medicaid with unified voices. Working together, we amplify shared goals and send the message loud and clear that we are stronger together. 

We MUST continue to inform our lawmakers in the House. That is where we will have the most impact at this time. We must ensure they know where we stand on the proposal coming back to them for a vote, and we must equip them to advocate on our behalf.

Please continue to use the tools we've shared and take action!

1. Send a personalized letter to your legislators with your reaction to this vote and how it will impact you and your family here. 
2. Call your legislator to tell your story. Leave a message and ask for an appointment. Find your legislator here.
3. Meet with your representative to explain how devastating Medicaid cuts would be to you and your family, and how reductions to funding in New York will hard you and your family. You can find an info sheet with talking points here.
4. Write an op-ed and submit it to your local paper or other news outlet.

Updated Resources from The Arc US

The Arc of the United states is continually updating their resources to equip advocates for the federal budget reconciliation fight. Highlights of recently released tools are below:

New Video for Advocates

The Arc of the United States CEO Katy Neas and Senior Policy and Advocacy Associate Brittany Owens explain what’s in the House bill, how it threatens access to care and food assistance, and what we can do to fight back. Watch the video here, and share this widely through your social media channels.

ICYMI: Chapter Webinar on House Bill

On June 9th, The Arc US staff led an in-depth overview of the House Bill’s impact on Medicaid and SNAP, and shared advocacy resources. You can find the recording here.

Updated State Fact Sheets

Get the latest state-by-state data on how the cuts would impact Medicaid and SNAP: coverage losses, budget gaps, and more. You can find New York’s fact sheet here, and the full package of state fact sheets here. Bring these to your meetings with officials—they’re powerful conversation starters.

New SNAP Fact Sheet, Medicaid & SNAP Graphics

The Arc US has updated their toolkit with a new SNAP info sheet, which makes a clear case that SNAP cuts would harm people, businesses, state budgets, and is widely unpopular with voters. They've also provided fresh social media graphics—ready to post, print, and share. You can find the graphics in the full toolkit here.

In the News

Below are several news articles or releases related to Medicaid funding, which provide valuable background and talking points:

• Republicans face critical week on Trump Megabill, The Hill, June 16
• KFF Health Tracking Poll: Views of the One Big Beautiful Bill, KFF, June 17
• Senate releases Trump tax and Medicaid blueprint, The Hill, June 16
• Americans want Medicaid and food stamps funding maintained or increased, AP-NORC poll shows, AP, June 16

Other Resources

Below are some additional resources that you may find helpful in your advocacy:

• Top 10 Ways Reconciliation Bill Will Harm People With Disabilities, NHLP
• Heath Provisions in the 2025 Federal Budget Reconciliation Bill, KFF
• New York Impacts on House GOP Budget Bill, NYS
• New York District-By-District Healthcare Impacts, NYS