Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill and the Rest of the Story
Let me quote Paul Harvey. He was one of the most popular and influential American radio broadcasters of the 20th century. Known for his dramatic delivery and distinctive cadence, his News and Comment and The Rest of the Story programs reached up to 24 million listeners weekly.
As Mr. Harvey used to say there’s the story and then there is the rest of the story.
Here is THE Story:
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), signed into law by President Trump, cuts federal Medicaid spending by roughly $1,000,000,000,000 over a decade by cuts to long-term services and supports (LTSS). The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) confirmed that the legislation (officially titled the One Big Beautiful Bill Act) will reduce federal spending by over $1 trillion over the next decade. It has been widely reported by every news source.
But, as Paul Harvey would say there’s more to the story.
Recently Prominent Elder Law attorney Evan Farr, who has offices in Virginia, Maryland and Washington DC, posted an article “Increased Life Expectancy Is Driving a Surge in Long-Term Care” You can, and should, read it here: https://www.farrlawfirm.com/increased-life-expectancy-is-driving-a-surge-in-long-term-care-needs
Counselor Farr reports that “About 70 percent of people who reach age 65 will need long-term services and supports (LTSS) at some point. Nearly half will require paid care, not just family assistance. Many will need care for extended periods. These findings are detailed in the HHS-supported analysis on lifetime risk of needing long-term services and supports.”
Mr. Farr continues:
“According to the the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s official data, life expectancy at birth rose to 78.4 years in 2023, and a person who reaches age 65 can now expect to live nearly 20 additional years. You can review the data directly in the National Center for Health Statistics Data Brief on U.S. Life Expectancy.”
I know you are not a school kid, but please forgive me as I conclude:
- That just as the need for LTSS increases, Trump has cut $1,000,000,000 from long term care funding. A lot of hard-working Americans will be hurt.
“And now you know… the rest of the story.”