Impact of Medicaid cuts to the Valley

WASHINGTON, D.C. (ValleyCentral) – Affordable health care programs in South Texas will undergo significant changes in the next year, after President Donald Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” was officially signed into law on Independence Day.

Trump’s signature piece of legislation includes nearly $800 billion in cuts to Medicaid, Medicare, and similar government programs, according to the Congressional Budget Office. The CBO estimates those cuts will leave nearly 11 million people uninsured by 2034.

For residents in the Rio Grande Valley, the bill will have a real impact. As of February, 352,899 people in Hidalgo, Cameron, Starr, and Willacy counties are enrolled in Medicaid programs, according to Texas Health and Human Services.

Medicaid Enrollment by County

• Hidalgo ○ 225,530
• Cameron ○ 102,556
• Starr ○ 20,157
• Willacy ○ 4,656

U.S. Rep. Monica De La Cruz, R-Edinburg, who represents the 15th congressional district in Texas, voted to pass the bill. She acknowledged the importance of health care assistance to the Valley but said limiting government spending will preserve funding for those who need it most.

“Making sure that [Medicaid, Medicare and SNAP programs] kept their integrity not only for now, but for generations to come is important. That being said, we need to make sure that we cut out the waste, fraud and abuse. And that's exactly what this bill does,” said De La Cruz.

On the other side of the aisle, U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, from the 28th district, voted to strike the bill down. He said it will hurt people in his community by stripping them of affordable care.

"These are not statistics, they're real people. It's a real veteran. It's a real senior. It's a real child that's going to be affected by these large Medicaid cuts,” said Cuellar. “You’re not cutting fat; you’re cutting the bone.”

Beyond limited funding, the new law also imposes an 80-hour-per-month work requirement to remain eligible for Medicaid, unless an exception is granted.

The changes will go into effect after the midterm elections.