Protesters gathered outside Kern Medical Hospital in Bakersfield to oppose proposed GOP cuts to Medicaid and SNAP. Central Valley, known for its high reliance on safety-net programs, faces dire consequences. Emelia Reed, a student assistant at California State University, Bakersfield's food pantry, emphasizes food insecurity among Kern County residents. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act plans to reduce federal SNAP funds and significantly cut Medicaid, potentially risking benefits for nearly 370,000 Californians and leading to a loss of 19% of federal Medicaid funding in California over the next decade.
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act will reduce federal SNAP spending by tightening exemptions for work requirements and requiring states to pick up a larger share of the program's cost. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities estimated that nearly 370,000 Californians are at risk of losing food stamp benefits because of the changes in work requirements.
Even deeper cuts are coming to Medicaid. The bill includes new requirements for recipients to prove they are working, volunteering or attending school, along with new limits on provider taxes - mechanisms that states such as California use to fund their Medicaid programs.
Nonprofit health research group KFF estimates that California will lose 19% of its federal Medicaid funding over the next decade - a total of $164 billion.
"Ultimately, I voted for this bill because it does preserve the Medicaid program for its intended recipients - children, pregnant women, the disabled and elderly," Valadao said.
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