ISSUE BRIEF - HOW THE HOUSE-PASSED BUDGET RECONCILIATION BILL WOULD NEGATIVELY IMPACT CHILDREN - May 2025

Oct 15, 2026

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The issue brief argues that the House budget reconciliation bill would harm children’s health and nutrition and increase child poverty by targeting programs that disproportionately benefit kids. It highlights cuts to Medicaid, CHIP, and SNAP, describing major shares of funding directed to children and pregnant women and projected losses exceeding $1 trillion. It explains risks such as “double jeopardy” for children relying on both health coverage and food support, and calls lawmakers to stop the bill.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages10

Reading Time25 min

AccessFree to download

Issue Brief: How the House-Passed Budget Reconciliation Bill Would Negatively Impact Children

Overview of Impacts on Children

Programs Targeted for Cuts: Medicaid, CHIP, and SNAP

“Double Jeopardy” and Automatic Eligibility Effects

Child Health: Medicaid and CHIP Access at Risk

Moratorium on Enrollment and Eligibility Simplification Rule

ISSUE BRIEF: HOW THE HOUSE-PASSED BUDGET RECONCILIATION BILL WOULD NEGATIVELY IMPACT CHILDREN The House has passed a budget reconciliation bill that supporters are referring to as a “one big, beautiful bill.” But let’s be clear, this budget bill threatens the health and nutrition of millions of children and pushes millions of children into poverty in order to provide tax credits for corporations, the wealthy, and even for people wanting to buy gun silencers and tanning beds. Our children and our future are being shortchanged in what is a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad bill for kids. While many of the bill’s supporters claim that children and other vulnerable populations will not be harmed by the changes made in reconciliation, this is just not true. It is impossible to achieve the level of funding cuts set forth in the bill without causing direct and indirect impacts to the health and well-being of children and families The House reconciliation bill singles out programs that disproportionately benefit children for cuts. Only 8 . 87% of total federal spending goes to kids, but the programs targeted by the bill devote a much larger share to children. For example, 20% of Medicaid funding goes to children, 100% of the funding in the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) goes to children and pregnant women, and 43% of SNAP dollars go to families with children. These three programs rank among the top 10 largest federal investments in children and are targeted for more than $1 trillion in cuts. These programs work alongside one another to support our nation’s kids. Any of the individual cuts included in this bill would be considered a loss for children, and when taken together, this bill is a disaster for kids. For example, 14 million children depend on both Medicaid and SNAP. This“double jeopardy” risks their access to both food and health insurance. In addition, enrollment in certain benefit programs makes it easier for children to receive other supports. For instance, SNAP recipients automatically qualify for free school meals and child care subsidies. If children are not enrolled in SNAP or Medicaid, they are also likely to experience reduced participation in these other programs that qualify for automatic eligibility. Medicaid, SNAP, and tax policy are essential to keeping kids fed, healthy, and cared for. Asthe House bill moves to the Senate, Congress still has an opportunity to choose babies over billionaires. First Focus Campaign for Children calls on lawmakers to protect children by stopping this bill. Child Health Every child deserves a healthy start and the opportunity to thrive, but policies that undermine access to essential health care put the well-being, development, and future of millions of children at risk. The proposed budget reconciliation bill includes several provisions that would significantly alter Medicaid and CHIP, jeopardizing health care access for over 37 million children who rely on the programs. FIRST FOCUS CAMPAIGN FOR CHILDREN | CHILDREN AT RISK IN THE HOUSE BUDGET BILL ISSUE BRIEF | MAY 2025 1 ISSUE BRIEF: HOW THE HOUSE-PASSED BUDGET RECONCILIATION BILL WOULD NEGATIVELY IMPACT CHILDREN Moratorium on Rule that Simplifies Enrollment and Eligibility The House bill would place a moratorium on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS)"Streamlining Medicaid, CHIP, and Basic Health Program Application, Eligibility Determination, Enrollment, and Renewal Processes" rule, which was designed to reduce red tape and make it easier for eligible children to enroll and stay enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP. The rule also included important protections for CHIP by prohibiting states from imposing: • Waiting periods: This is an outdated mechanism imposed on children after they voluntarily disenroll from a group health insurance plan, such as a parent’s employer-sponsored plan. When CHIP was established in 1997, states were required to make sure that CHIP did not substitut

FAQs

What does the brief say about the House budget reconciliation bill’s impact on children?

The brief claims it threatens children’s health and nutrition and pushes millions of children into poverty by cutting programs that disproportionately benefit them.

Which programs are identified as being targeted for cuts, and why do they matter for children?

The brief highlights Medicaid, CHIP, and SNAP, noting that large portions of their funding support children and pregnant women and that these programs work together to ensure access to health care and food.

What is the “double jeopardy” risk described in the brief?

The brief states that 14 million children depend on both Medicaid and SNAP, and that cuts could reduce access to both food and health insurance at the same time.

Oct 15, 2026

Upload by Kyle