House Republicans want to impose work requirements on some Medicaid recipients up to 64 years old and impose more costs on some beneficiaries to help pay for President Donald Trump’s planned sweeping tax package.

Today Medicaid provides health coverage for 71m Americans, 20m more than 15 years ago. The Affordable Care Act fuelled the growth, allowing states to cover more people. But it has also supercharged the price of the programme: in 2023 it cost $880bn,

The Kentucky Republican continued his call for President Donald Trump to pump the brakes on his proposed worldwide tariffs, while expressing support for lowering spending on Medicaid and other programs.

The House Ways and Means Committee named its package "THE ONE, BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL'' in all capital letters, a nod to President Trump himself.

The Congressional Budget Office estimates the cuts will lead to 8.6 million people losing coverage over the next decade.

The GAO is probing Georgia’s Medicaid work program as Trump seeks to expand it. Advocates say it adds cost and cuts coverage.