Impact of President Donald Trump’s massive spending bill Signing the law on Independence Day It is expected to filter to infants and young children, a portion of the population, especially vulnerable to the reduction of the federal social safety net.
Many middle-class and wealthy families will see benefits from new legislation, but plans to help low-income families keep their babies healthy have been reduced. Although state currencies provide funding for public schools and preschoolers, in some cases, programs that support the youngest children are largely supported by the federal government.
The law expands tax cuts Trump passed during his term and puts billions into border security as the president tries to expand the crackdown on immigration. To pay for these plans, the law cuts Medicaid and Food voucher – Poor families rely on plans with children – over $1 trillion.
Republicans say Trump’s “big beauty bill” legislation will bring some benefits to families with children. It added tax credits, which include tax credits that now allow parents to deduct up to $2,200 from their tax bills. It introduces Investment Account For newborns known as the “Trump Account”, everyone paid $1,000 from the administration.
Still, advocates say they don’t make up for what children may lose under the new law. They are worried about what will happen next, as the next Trump budget proposes more plans to help parents and babies.
Medicaid cuts may increase stress for families
More than 10 million Americans rely on Medicaid for health care. About 40% of births cover Medicaid. Newborns are also eligible for mothers.
The new law will not disengage children or their parents from Medicaid. It sets Medicaid job requirements for children over the age of 13. But pediatricians warn that even those who do not use Medicaid will feel broadly about the cuts.
Medicaid cuts are expected to put financial pressure on healthcare providers, forcing them to cut minimum profitable services. This is usually pediatrics, and younger patients are more likely to use Medicaid, said Lisa Costello, a pediatrician in West Virginia.
The chain reaction may exacerbate the shortage of existing pediatricians and children’s beds.
“Any cuts in the program will drip into and affect children, whether it is relying on Medicaid to stay open or the pediatric practices of children’s hospitals,” Costello said.
States also use Medicaid to pay for programs that exceed routine health care services, including treatments for young children with disabilities. Under the new law, states will occupy a large part of the Medicaid bill, meaning optional programs are at risk of being cut.
Advocates worry that if adults lose Medicaid coverage, it could increase family stress and make it harder for parents to make it more difficult for them to make ends meet, both of which negatively affect young people. Parents who have lost their health insurance are unlikely to take their children to see a doctor.
“When parents lose health insurance, they often think that their children are no longer eligible, even if not,” said Cynthia Osborne, an early education professor and executive director of the Center for Prenatal to 3 Policy Impact at Vanderbilt University.
Law increases tax credit for eligible parents
The law raises the child tax credit to $2,200 per child, up from $2,000. However, parents who don’t earn enough to pay income tax will still not see the gain, and many will only see part of the gain.
The measure also includes two provisions designed to help families pay for child care, which in many places costs more than mortgages. First, this increases the tax credits parents receive for spending money on childcare. The bill also expands a program that provides tax credits for companies to provide childcare services to their employees.
These two measures criticize the widespread benefit of large corporations and wealthy families.
“It’s a business tax break for the company,” said Bruce Lesley, president of the Advocates’ president, who first focused on children. “It makes their child care depend on working for reputable employers.”
“Trump Account” to open for $1,000 newborn
The law initiates a program that creates investment accounts for newborn children. The Trump account should be provided $1,000 from the government, and children will be able to use the money when adults start new business and invest money in houses or school.
Unlike other baby bond programs that are typically targeted at vulnerable groups, the federal program will be available to families with all incomes.
Supporters of the program have promoted accounts as a way to make young people stronger as adults and teach them the benefits of investing. Critics argue that impoverished families have more direct needs and that their children should receive larger donations if the goal is to help balance the exercise environment.
Food aid programs face cuts
Under the law, the Supplementary Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) faces its biggest cut in its history. If the child is over 14 years of age, it will require parents to work for the first time to qualify for benefits. However, even families with young children may feel the impact.
The law kicks out some immigrants (including those with legal status) from food aid. It makes it difficult for individuals to qualify by changing how to consider their utility bills.
Break Historically, the federal government has been funded, but under the new law, states will have to bear some financial burden. Cash-strapped governments can decide to implement new requirements, which will make it harder for people to qualify. Some states may decide to withdraw from the program altogether.
“When young children don’t have access to this healthy nutrition, it can affect the rest of their lives,” Berger said. “This bill is fundamentally away from long-term commitments nationwide to ensure low-income children in every state have access to the food aid they need.”
