Overview
- President Trump’s 2026 budget bill enacts significant Medicaid cuts by reducing federal funding for expansion and capping provider taxes.
- CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz says beneficiaries must uphold personal wellness to retain support, advising “eat real food” and “don’t eat carrot cake.”
- Oz introduced the “Make America Healthy Again” slogan and joked about his “MAHA Medi-cake” during a Fox Business interview.
- Democratic lawmakers condemn the approach as a billionaire tax break funded by slashed healthcare for low-income Americans.
- The personal-responsibility push follows GOP efforts to impose work mandates and tighten eligibility for Medicaid expansion.