Staying Fit
These new fact sheets show the depth of Medicaid cuts proposed by the AHCA in Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Nevada, Ohio, Tennessee, and West Virginia
For more than 50 years, the Medicaid program has served as a critical safety net for millions of people who deplete their life savings and turn to Medicaid for assistance as their ability to care for themselves declines. The American Health Care Act (AHCA) threatens the Medicaid program by limiting future federal funding that states can receive to provide needed health care and long-term services and supports (LTSS). Specifically, the bill repeals the Medicaid expansion and implements a capped financing model for states.
New fact sheets from the AARP Public Policy Institute illustrates the depth of the cuts in eight states and shows the implications of the AHCA for Medicaid funding and enrollment.
By Fiscal Year 2026, these eight states stand to lose more than $100 billion in total Medicaid funding:
| State | Total Cut to Medicaid (Federal and State), FY2020-2026 |
| Alaska | $2.8 billion |
| Arizona | $25.8 billion |
| Colorado | $15.0 billion |
| Iowa | $4.3 billion |
| Nevada | $9.5 billion |
| Ohio | $34.8 billion |
| Tennessee | $2.9 billion |
| West Virginia | $8.9 billion |
| Total Cut to these Eight States | $104 billion |
By Fiscal Year 2026, more than 1.9 million people in these eight states could lose their Medicaid coverage under the bill:
| State | Total Loss of Medicaid Coverage, FY2026 |
| Alaska | 32,000 |
| Arizona | 537,000 |
| Colorado | 314,000 |
| Iowa | 66,000 |
| Nevada | 210,000 |
| Ohio | 581,000 |
| Tennessee | 63,000 |
| West Virginia | 158,000 |
| Total Coverage Loss in these Eight States | 1,961,000 |
The fact sheets include three new data points illustrating the extent of AHCA’s Medicaid financing cuts:
- The annual percentage cut to total (federal and state) Medicaid funding through fiscal year (FY) 2026,
- The dollar amount of the cuts in FY2026, and
- The number of beneficiaries who would have to lose coverage by FY2026 in order for those remaining to maintain their current level of service
MORE FROM AARP
Policy Options to Improve Older Adults’ Health Insurance Affordability
Despite gains in health coverage and affordability under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), a significant number of Americans remain uninsured, including millions of adults ages 50 to 64, and affordability and access barriers remain. Policymakers can pursue a wide range of options to improve access to affordable health coverage and reduce racial/ethnic and other disparities in coverage.
Navigating the Medicare Coverage Maze: Challenges and Policy Solutions
Speakers discussed new research on people’s experiences with Medicare marketing, what factors and information influence Medicare coverage choices, and potential policy opportunities to better support consumers during open enrollment.