House Speaker Mike Johnson justified proposed budget cuts to Medicaid, arguing that the taxpayer-funded healthcare system causes young men to play video games instead of working.
In a press conference last week, the Republican leader discussed the proposed budget cuts, asserting that young men are taking resources from the more vulnerable citizens.
“No one has talked about cutting one benefit in Medicaid to anyone who’s due—what we’ve talked about is returning work requirements, so, for example, you don’t have able-bodied young men on a program that’s designed for single mothers and the elderly and disabled. They’re draining resources from people,” the congressman said.
“So if you clean that up and shore it up, you save a lot of money, and you return the dignity of work to young men who need to be out working instead of playing videogames all day.”
Mike Johnson Says Men Need to Stop ‘Playing Video Games All Day’ and Get to Work: ‘They’re Draining Resources’ https://t.co/Vg0iAcNPv1
— EssenViews (@essenviews) April 11, 2025
Medicaid is a healthcare system that provides access to healthcare for low-income Americans. According to the healthcare research firm KFF, 64% of Medicaid recipients work full-time or part-time jobs. The firm also noted that most unemployed Medicaid recipients have an illness, disability, or are students. If implemented, Johnson’s proposed return-to-work requirement would eliminate healthcare access for Americans who are temporarily unemployed after being laid off.
Some Republican leaders proposed cuts to the Medicaid budget to support the Trump administration’s plan for reducing federal spending. The GOP aims to cut the Medicaid budget by $880 billion, which could eliminate healthcare coverage for millions of low-income Americans.
The plan received criticism from both sides of the aisle. A letter signed by 12 Republican leaders warns that these budget cuts could lead to catastrophic consequences.
“Cuts to Medicaid also threaten the viability of hospitals, nursing homes, and safety-net providers nationwide. Many hospitals—particularly in rural and underserved areas—rely heavily on Medicaid funding, with some receiving over half their revenue from the program alone.”
On average, healthcare insurance for an individual costs $539 a month or $6,468 annually. The United States is still the only developed country without a universal healthcare system.
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