HealthHIV strongly opposes the “Big Beautiful Bill,” which threatens to unravel decades of HIV care infrastructure built through bipartisan public health efforts
WASHINGTON, DC, July 3, 2025 – Even though the ink hasn’t dried, the implications of the “Big Beautiful Bill” are already clear—particularly for Medicaid and the broader health system supporting People with HIV (PWH). With deep federal cuts and structural changes baked into the bill, core safety-net programs face serious threats. Hospitals in rural and underserved areas—already stretched thin—may be pushed closer to crisis. And because Medicaid covers over 40% of people with HIV, disruptions to access for antiretrovirals, case management, and wrap-around services could reverse decades of public health gains.
Republican leadership has made clear that this is only the first phase. Congress faces a July 18 deadline to act on a $9.4 billion rescission package—or the funds will be released as originally appropriated. The package includes steep cuts to global health, including PEPFAR and domestic HIV programs. Combined with the proposed restructuring of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), these moves threaten to upend care and infrastructure that millions depend on.
“That this is happening as the nation marks Independence Day underscores a painful truth: for too many, access to care is still a freedom denied,” said HealthHIV Director of Advocacy Scott Bertani.
If enacted, the HHS restructuring would fold the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA, which funds the Ryan White Program and community health centers) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA, which funds mental health and substance use programs) into a new “Administration for a Healthy America (AHA).” Together with the rescissions, these changes could destabilize HIV program support, disrupt access, and fragment care.
###
For media inquiries, please contact:
Marco Winkler
Director of Marketing & Communications
[email protected]
