House Speaker Mike Johnson recently said that about 4.8 million people on Medicaid are taking advantage of the system|Gage Skidmore|CC BY-SA 2.0
House Speaker Mike Johnson defended the budget cuts in the “One Big Beautiful Bill” package, which mandates 80 hours of monthly work, volunteer, or training requirements for able-bodied Medicaid recipients.
Johnson stated last week that about 4.8 million people on Medicaid are able-bodied workers who are not working and taking advantage of the system. His comment drew swift backlash from Democrats and the public. The public is worried that if the budget bill passes, millions could lose healthcare.
The speaker told NBC’s Meet the Press that these individuals won’t lose Medicaid unless they choose to do so, reiterating the work mandates of the new legislation.
Democrats, including Sen. Raphael Warnock, argue that the plan will strip healthcare from millions due to burdensome reporting requirements, not a lack of work.
There is also speculation about the 4.8 million figure. Nonprofit KFF states 26.1 million people used Medicaid in 2024, out of which only 2 million people fell in the category of “not working due to retirement, inability to find work or other reason.”
The mega-budget bill now heads to the Senate, with Johnson aiming for it to reach President Donald Trump’s desk by July 4.