The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) introduces major changes directly to Medicaid and the ACA Marketplace — but the impact will extend to other areas, such as employer-sponsored insurance, and ripple across the healthcare landscape. With $794 billion in Medicaid cuts and new eligibility and enrollment requirements, OBBBA forces health plans to face a future of reduced enrollment, higher risk pools, and increased administrative complexity. This briefing outlines the most consequential provisions of OBBBA and their implications for managed care organizations. You can also find out how OBBBA is impacting the entire healthcare industry here.
OBBBA marks a shift toward reduced federal support and greater consumer responsibility across public and private coverage. Health plans will need to navigate shrinking membership, rising per-member costs, and increasing compliance demands. While plans will need to make many changes across this marathon journey, plans must first invest in member support, modernize technology, and strengthen compliance infrastructure to manage the financial and operational risks ahead.
1 Ortaliza J, et al. How will the One Big Beautiful Bill Act affect the ACA, Medicaid, and the uninsured rate? KFF. June 18, 2025.
2 Euhus R, et al. Allocating CBO’s estimates of federal Medicaid spending reductions across the states: Enacted Reconciliation Package. KFF. July 23, 2025.
3 Total Medicaid MCO enrollment. KFF. Accessed August 5, 2025.
4 Fact sheet: Medicaid work requirements would jeopardize health coverage and access to care for 21 million Americans. US Department of Health and Human Services. Accessed August 5, 2025.
5 Goldman AL, et al. Analysis of work requirement exemptions and Medicaid spending. JAMA Intern Med. Sept 10, 2018.
6 Sugar S, et al. Medicaid churning and continuity of care: Evidence and policy considerations before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. US Department of Health and Human Services. April 12, 2021.
7 Berkowitz SA, et al. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participation and health care expenditures among low-income adults. JAMA Intern Med. Nov 1, 2017.
8 Redefining Access: What OBBBA (HR1) means for dual eligibles. ATI Advisory. July 29, 2025.
9 Medicaid demonstrations and impacts on health coverage: A review of the evidence. US Department of Health and Human Services. March 10, 2021.
10 2025 Marketplace Integrity and Affordability Final Rule. CMS. June 20, 2025.
11 CMS finalizes major rule to lower individual health insurance premiums for Americans. CMS. June 20, 2025.
12 Letter from Phillip L. Swagel on he estimated effects on the number of uninsured people in 2034 resulting from policies incorporated within the CBO’s baseline projections and HR 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Congressional Budget Office. June 4, 2025.
13 Ortaliza J, et al. Individual market insurers requesting largest premium increases in more than 5 years. KFF. July 18, 2025.
14 Lukens G, Zhang E. Administration’s ACA Marketplace rule will raise health care costs for millions of families. Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. August 1, 2025.
15 Katz MH. Effect of Medicaid cuts on the medical care ecosystem. JAMA. May 28, 2025.
16 Carroll C, Chang JY. Rural hospital closures led to increased prices at nearby ‘surviving’ hospitals, 2012-22. HealthAffairs. May 2025.
17 Hinton E, Raphael J. Medicaid managed care network adequacy & access: Current standards and proposed changes. KFF. June 15, 2023.
18 Gammon M, Gogna A. CMS releases revised 2026 out-of-pocket expense limits. WTW. July 8, 2025.
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