WASHINGTON (KOAA) — The House is now looking over President Donald Trump's 'Big, Beautiful Bill" after the Senate passed it with amendments on Tuesday.
All Democrats in the Senate opposed the measure, while three Republicans, Sens. Rand Paul of Kentucky, Thom Tillis of North Carolina, and Susan Collins of Maine voted against the bill. Vice President JD Vance was the tie-breaker. The three Republicans against the bill were concerned over the proposed cuts to Medicaid, which would total about $1 trillion over ten years.
According to KFF, a nonprofit that focuses on health policy research, there are about 1,143,000 children and adults enrolled in Colorado Medicaid as of May 2025. KFF breaks down those in enrollees as follows:
-3 in 8 (36%) are children
-1 in 7 (15%) live in a rural area
-1 in 9 (11%) have three or more chronic conditions
KFF adds in their data that about 75% of Medicaid adults in Colorado are working, 29% part-time, and 46% full-time. Total Medicaid spending in Colorado, according to the report, is $13 billion.
KFF estimates that the budget bill after leaving the Senate would cut Medicaid spending by about $1 trillion across the country and increase the number of uninsured by 11.8 million in all of the United States.
The Joint Economic Committee (JEC) shared its own report a day before the bill passed. Depending on amendments, The JEC believes 240,953 to 471,023 in Colorado could lose coverage if the bill is passed.
Jamie Vigil lives in Pueblo and is battling skin cancer while also working as a volunteer for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN). On Tuesday, she traveled to the Denver area to receive a Keytruda treatment soon after learning the bill had passed the Senate. Vigil was diagnosed with skin cancer in 2010, and she's been on Medicaid since 2013. Vigil isn't sure how this bill could directly impact her, but she's worried that it could lead to her losing benefits.
"They just need to see... I'm a real-life person to that bill," Vigil said as a message to lawmakers. "I'm a real story attached. I have the scars. I have the backing of doctors."
KFF has a page dedicated to tracking the bill, showcasing current law and comparing that to both the House-passed bill and Senate-passed bill. According to KFF, there will be more work requirements when it comes to eligibility policies, requiring states to condition Medicaid eligibility for individuals ages 19-64 applying for coverage or enrolled through the ACA expansion group (or a waiver) on working or participating in qualifying activities for at least 80 hours per month. There were many adjustments in the Senate Bill that can be viewed by clicking here.
When it comes to cost sharing, under the bill, states would have to impose copayments of up to $35 per service on expansion adults with incomes 100 to 138 percent FPL, with some exclusions.
"Congress is making an unprecedented attack on access to health care for millions of Americans, including cancer patients and survivors," John Broome, North Carolina government relations director with ACS CAN said. "Devastating cuts to Medicaid and changes to Marketplace plans in the budget will terminate health coverage for nearly 12 million Americans and increase health care costs for everyone. We are disappointed in the Senate’s vote today which has major implications for the future of cancer care in the United States. Simply put, this bill will mean more Americans will live sicker and die sooner."
Supporters of the bill believe it will cut waste and fraud. The White House has shared a list of endorsements that can be viewed by clicking here.
"We need to pass this bill, we need to get it to the president's desk," Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought said. "This is a part of a plan to get to a balanced budget over time. It's one part of it. We have discretionary. We have tariffs, we have economic growth, but it's all part of a plan."
The House will now debate the Senate's version of the bill. President Trump is hoping to have it signed by July 4.
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