the 9.2 million Medicaid recipients aged 50-64 who are not yet eligible for Medicare. The bill stipulates that Medicaid-eligible recipients who apply for coverage or receive coverage through the ACA would have to work at least 80 hours per month or fulfill similar criteria. OBBB doesn’t just affect Medicaid, but also increases health care costs for more than a million Medicare enrollees. The legislation blocks implementation of an existing regulation that makes it easier for eligible low-income Medicare beneficiaries to enroll in Medicare Savings Programs (MSPs) that lower Medicare premiums and out-of-pocket costs. MSPs exist to make healthcare more affordable for Medicare enrollees with limited assets and income and, without programs like this, even low-cost medical bills become unaffordable and basic care becomes a pipe dream. Blocking the regulation would make streamlining and automating enrollment into MSPs practically impossible. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimated that the legislation would cause up to 1.3 million Medicare enrollees eligible for these programs to lose or forgo their Medicaid coverage. The CBO estimates that some of the hardest-hit Americans under the OBBB would be Medicare enrollees living at or just above the federal poverty level. For example, a couple on Medicare who are eligible but no longer able to enroll in the Qualified Medicare Beneficiary Program, making a combined $21,000 per year, could see their out-of-pocket costs skyrocket by $8,340 per year. A single Medicare enrollee making $19,000 per year could see their out-of-pocket costs go up by $3,300 per year if they are unable to enroll in Medicare Savings Programs. Another crucial government program for seniors is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), previously known as food stamps. In 2023, more than 11 million people age 50 and older received food aid through SNAP. However, beginning in October 2027, most states will have to pay 5-15% of the cost of the SNAP benefits their residents receive. OBBB also raises the age limit for work requirements to be eligible for SNAP benefits from 55-64, meaning many people up to 64 will be required to work at least 20 hours of per week to receive benefits for more than three months in three years. One of the overriding themes of OBBB is making life more difficult for vulnerable groups, including seniors. The original purpose of programs such as Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security and SNAP was to keep vulnerable groups out of poverty. These programs provide economic lifelines to single mothers, veterans, children in foster care and senior citizens. Removing these lifelines will not improve anything but instead cause a more desperate and precarious society. The Advisors’ Trust Company® Zia Trust, Inc. Independent Corporate trustee • Estate Settlement and Distributing Trusts. • Special Needs and General Support Trust Administration. • Serve as Financial Agent Under Power of Attorney. • Charitable Trust Administration. 6301 Indian School Rd NE Suite 800 Albuquerque, NM 87110 Albuquerque • SAntA Fe • lAS CruCeS • Phoenix • Tucson 7
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