Work requirements in Trump's 'big, beautiful bill': What to know

House passes President Trump's 'Big Beautiful, Bill'

House representatives passed President Donald Trump's Big Beautiful Bill on Thursday. House Speaker Mike Johnson pushed for Republicans to get the bill passed.

WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump’s "big beautiful" bill is inching its way closer to becoming law after passing the House early Thursday morning.

One of the provisions of the bill would implement work requirements for low-income adults to receive Medicaid health insurance and increase them for food assistance.

This is in addition to potentially slashing the funding for services like birth control. 

FILE - Care advocates attend 24-hour vigil at U.S. Capitol to share stories and urge lawmakers to protect Medicaid on May 07, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Leigh Vogel/Getty Images for Caring Across Generations)

Work, volunteer or go to school 

If passed, the bill will require able-bodied Medicaid enrollees under 65 to show that they work, volunteer or go to school in exchange for health insurance coverage.

By the numbers:

Currently, about 92% of people enrolled in Medicaid are already working, being caregivers, attend school or are disabled.

The other side:

This requirement could spell trouble for rural hospitals, in particular, who will see their small pool of patients go from paying for their emergency care with Medicaid coverage to not paying anything at all. Hospitals would have to eat their costs.

Changes to SNAP

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food stamps, already requires recipients to work, volunteer or participate in training programs for at least 80 hours a month to receive full benefits.

The "big beautiful" bill would raise the work requirement age for SNAP to 65 and it will extend it to parents without children who are younger than 7.

The bill also would limit the ability to waive work requirements in areas with high unemployment rates.

States that cover immigrants lacking legal status could suffer

Under the bill, the federal government would punish states that use their own state dollars to provide Medicaid-covered services to immigrants lacking legal status or to provide subsidies to help them buy health insurance.

That could mean states pulling back that Medicaid coverage to avoid the federal penalty. 

Funding for Planned Parenthood could be barred

Planned Parenthood says a provision barring it from receiving Medicaid funds could lead to about one-third of its health centers closing.

The group said about 200 centers are at risk — most of them in states where abortion is legal. In those states, the number of Planned Parenthood centers could be cut in half.

Care for transgender people could be cut

The bill would stop Medicaid from covering gender-affirming care.

Coverage for treatments could potentially not be required on insurance plans sold through the exchanges under the Affordable Care Act.