Arlington, VA — Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, legislation that will drastically cut critical programs like Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and leave millions of Americans without access to critical health care and support. The bill now goes to the president’s desk, and he is expected to sign it as quickly as tomorrow. NAMI is devastated and deeply disheartened by the final passage of this bill and released the following statement from NAMI CEO Daniel H. Gillison, Jr.:
Despite promises to protect vulnerable populations, this bill makes drastic cuts to Medicaid, which will result in fewer people having health care coverage, fewer health care services available, more expensive care, and a weaker overall U.S. mental health system. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that roughly 17 million Americans will lose coverage as a result of this bill, which cuts more than $1 trillion from the Medicaid program. The bill also makes it harder for people to obtain and afford health insurance on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace and significantly cuts SNAP, impacting millions of working Americans who rely on food assistance to feed their families.
While disappointed by this outcome, the tireless dedication of mental health advocates across the country has been inspiring and signals that the fight to protect and improve mental health care is not over yet. Gillison added:
Since January, NAMI’s “Protect Medicaid. Protect Mental Health.” campaign raised awareness of the impact of Medicaid on mental health care and galvanized action. NAMI advocates contacted Congress more than 155,000 times to urge legislators to protect Medicaid. Advocates also shared more than 1,300 stories about how Medicaid coverage has helped them.
NAMI will continue advocating throughout the implementation of this bill, fighting against harmful changes and ensuring policymakers hear directly from people affected by mental illness. In the meantime, anyone who needs support and resources should contact NAMI’s HelpLine, open Monday through Friday (closed July 4), 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET. People can reach the HelpLine by calling 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), texting “NAMI” to 62640, visiting nami.org/help, or emailing info@nami.org. If you are in emotional distress, please contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, available 24/7/365, by calling or texting 988 to reach a crisis counselor or chatting online at 988Lifeline.org.
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