In hospitals, “code blue” is a well-known emergency code that describes the critical status of a patient, and one that usually sends doctors running down the hall. The U.S. is now experiencing a “code blue” of its own in the form of President Donald Trump’s domestic “One Big Beautiful Bill.”
The bill, passed by Congress July 3 and signed by Trump July 4, calls for reduced federal spending and stricter work requirements for public assistance. It adds a Medicaid requirement for those who are able and childless to work at least 80 hours a month to receive benefits.
While Trump said the bill won’t impact people on Medicaid, the effects will be far-reaching and deeply harmful to millions of Americans on Medicaid who can’t work 80-plus hours a month. Thus, a code blue.
Medicaid isn’t a budget line; it’s a lifeline for millions of Americans. It’s a federal and state program that provides essential health insurance coverage to low-income individuals, including children, seniors and those with disabilities.
Over 71 million Americans were enrolled in Medicaid as of January, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. In Florida, the program supports working families who would otherwise lack coverage.
In Alachua County, 44,110 residents —14.8% of the population — were enrolled in Medicaid in 2024, according to the Florida Department of Health.
These numbers aren’t mere statistics; they represent our neighbors, classmates and patients who rely on Medicaid for their well-being.
Despite this, congressional leaders push detrimental changes to Medicaid, deceptively presenting them as efforts to reduce “waste” or foster employment through new work requirements. In reality, these policies are designed to reduce enrollment, not enhance care.
We’ve already witnessed the adverse effects in Florida.
Following the expiration of pandemic-era protections, the state resumed Medicaid eligibility reviews in April 2023. During the “unwinding” period, more than 1.3 million Floridians lost their Medicaid coverage, including approximately 420,000 children, according to the Florida Policy Institute.
Shockingly, 64% of these disenrollments were due to procedural reasons, such as not returning paperwork, rather than being deemed ineligible. This means hundreds of thousands may have lost care, not because they no longer qualify but due to avoidable bureaucratic errors.
Let’s be clear: Work requirements don’t promote work; they penalize poverty. Many Floridians on Medicaid already work full-time in essential roles, including grocery clerks, nursing aides, restaurant staff, childcare workers and caregivers. Withdrawing their healthcare will only exacerbate their challenges in maintaining health, productivity and housing.
As a neuroscience student at the University of Florida and a volunteer at the Norman Fixel Institute for Neurological Diseases, I witness the profound significance of Medicaid. I encounter patients who rely on it for life-saving treatments and long-term care. The cuts are not theoretical; they are deeply personal.
Medicaid plays a crucial role in sustaining local clinics and rural hospitals. It supports community care and enables public health initiatives. Slashing funding won’t save lives. It will cost them.
Florida lawmakers, backed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, have repeatedly refused to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act as recently as 2023, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
As a result, more than 400,000 uninsured Floridians fall into the Medicaid coverage gap where they earn too much to qualify for Medicaid but too little to afford private insurance — a failure that leaves many without access to basic care.
We can’t afford further harm.
Despite the bill’s recent passage, I strongly urge Florida’s U.S. Senators to reject this idea and administration and stand with our communities, not billionaires. We must protect our healthcare system and preserve our dignity.
This is a code blue, and in Gainesville, we’re answering the call.
Fatima Shahid is a UF neuroscience junior.
