Washington, D.C. — The United States has struggled for decades to address the devastating toll of substance-use disorder (SUD), particularly with the opioid crisis, that continues to claim tens of thousands of lives annually. Health insurance coverage expansions and improved access to treatment have helped millions of Americans both begin and sustain recovery, leading to drug overdose deaths falling nearly 27 percent in 2024.
However, the House Republican “One Big, Beautiful Bill” proposes sweeping Medicaid cuts that threaten to undermine this fragile progress and cause 7.8 million people on the program to lose their insurance. A new Center for American Progress analysis estimates that if the bill were to become law, more than 1.6 million Medicaid enrollees-receiving SUD treatment would become uninsured—cutting off their access to lifesaving care. However, the Senate’s version of the “One Big, Beautiful Bill” is more extreme and includes more severe Medicaid cuts, which will contribute to additional coverage losses.
This new article examines how Medicaid is a lifeline for people living with substance-use disorder and offers new analysis on how the burdensome work requirements House Republicans are tying to Medicaid could strip coverage from millions of Americans.
“Medicaid coverage is essential for sustaining and advancing the nation’s progress in combating substance-use disorder and has helped save countless lives. The House Republican’s bill, including burdensome work requirements, is creating unnecessary hurdles that will rip coverage away from millions of individuals—leaving them uninsured and without access to lifesaving services for substance-use disorder treatment,” said Natasha Murphy, director of Health policy and author of the analysis.
Read the analysis: “How the Big, “Beautiful” Bill Would Undermine Access to Life-Saving Substance-Use Disorder Treatment” by Natasha Murphy
For more information or to speak with an expert, please contact Sarah Nadeau at [email protected].