OUR WORK
Action
Learn more about how the Reconciliation Bill / “Big Beautiful Bill”
will impact vital services for Alaska’s children and families.
Reconciliation Bill / “Big Beautiful Bill” Key Points
Over the next 10 years, adds $3.4 trillion to the federal deficit and cuts $1.02 trillion from Medicaid and CHIP and $300 billion from SNAP.
In Alaska, 28,000 people may lose Medicaid/Denali KidCare coverage and 14,000 people will lose some or all their SNAP benefits.
Medicaid
Work Requirements
What: Requires 80 hours per month of work, education, job training, or volunteering for adults ages 19–64 in the “expansion” population
Who: While there are some exemptions for various populations, parents with dependents 14 and over would be required to comply with the work requirements.
When: States must implement by December 31, 2026 (some extension options)
Eligibility and Redetermination
What: Requires Medicaid renewals every six months, instead of every twelve
Who: Adults receiving Medicaid as part of the “expansion” population
When: States must implement by December 31, 2026
SNAP
Work Requirements
What: Requires 80 hours per month of work, education, job training, or volunteering for adults ages 18-64
Who: While there are some exemptions for various populations, parents with dependents 14 and over would be required to comply with work requirements
When: Alaska has option to delay implementation until December 31, 2028
State Cost Sharing Based on SNAP Error Rate
What: States would be required to pay a percentage of the SNAP program costs based on their error rate
Who: Any state with an error rate over 6%. Alaska’s “error rate” is currently 24.6%.
When: Alaska has the option to delay implementation until fiscal year 2030
TAX CREDITS
Child Tax Credit
What: Makes child tax credit permanent, capped at $2,200 per child
Who: While most families will benefit from this change, the lowest income families will not qualify for the full credit.
When: Begins with the 2026 tax filing
Enhanced Premium Tax Credits for Marketplace Health Insurance
What: Enhanced Premium Tax Credits set to expire in 2025 have not been renewed
Who: Families purchasing insurance on the Marketplace
When: Unless Congress renews, these credits expire December 31, 2025
What’s in the “Big Beautiful Bill?”
The “Big Beautiful Bill” is a is a budget reconciliation bill that passed the House on May 22nd and is currently in the Senate. Learn how this bill will impact Alaska’s children and families in terms of changes to programs that support them such as SNAP (Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program), Medicaid, and Child Tax Credit.
Act NOW
Call Senator Sullivan and Senator Murkowski’s offices at (202) 224-3121. Advocate to say NO to the Reconciliation Bill!
Impacts and Action
Direct Impact
The policies in the 2025 Federal Budget Reconciliation Bill will have harmful impacts on Alaska’s children and families. As the policies are implemented, we will start to see the following direct impacts:
Increased reporting and eligibility requirements will reduce access to health and nutrition services, even for those who qualify.
Additional administrative burden placed on Alaska’s enrollment and eligibility system will result in backlogs for all public assistance programs.
The State will struggle to fund the gap left by federal funding cuts, resulting in a reduction in health and nutrition programs.
Indirect Impact
These initial impacts will result in downstream, indirect impacts such as:
Businesses, including grocery stores and health care providers, will struggle to remain open due to a loss in their revenue.
Reduced school nutrition support and delayed access to preventative services will impact education, health, and overall wellbeing of Alaska’s children.
Increased rates of uncompensated and delayed care will further strain health care providers and the State budget, reducing funding to other state-funded programs.
The wellbeing of Alaska’s children and families will be negatively impacted by the policies in the Reconciliation Bill. While the most immediate impacts will be felt by families receiving Medicaid and SNAP, the ripple effect of the policies will spread, increasing the harm to Alaska’s families.
Take Action
So...what can you do?
Stay Educated. Identify ways the legislation is likely to impact your family.
Stay Connected. Engage with community organizations to help track implementation and help maintain your benefits.
Stay Empowered. Track the impacts and tell your story.
Uplift Parent Experiences
ACT is collecting stories to learn more about supports and services like Medicaid/Denali KidCare, SNAP, and the Child Tax Credit. In a time when access to these types of supports are threatened in Alaska, listening and learning from the stories of families who access these services is essential to understanding the true impacts of the 2025 Reconciliation Bill.
The goal of collecting these stories is to highlight the importance of these services for Alaska's children and families. Individuals retain full control of their story, and stories will only be shared in partnership with parents and families.
FAQs
WORK REQUIREMENTS
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The recently passed Reconciliation Bill will require all individuals age 19-64 who are part of the Medicaid expansion population to prove they are working 80 hours a month to receive Denali KidCare/Medicaid, including caregivers of children over 14. Additionally, caregivers of kids 14 and older must prove they are working 20 hours a week to receive SNAP benefits.
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Work requirements can sound reasonable, but they often don't account for people who want to work but face barriers, like caregiving duties, lack of childcare, seasonal work, or living in rural areas. Data from states like Arkansas show that many people lost coverage due to paperwork, not because they refused to work. The Congressional Budget Office estimates 4.8 million more people would become uninsured, mainly due to additional red tape and paperwork. Complex rules, frequent reporting, and difficult verification systems will stop many from getting benefits they are still eligible for.
A Closer Look at the Medicaid Work Requirement Provisions in the “Big Beautiful Bill” | KFF
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In theory, yes. But in practice, people often lose coverage due to technical issues with reporting or difficulty accessing documentation. This creates a red-tape barrier, especially in rural or under-resourced communities.
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Programs like SNAP and Medicaid help families experiencing financial insecurity afford food and healthcare while they get back on their feet. When individuals lose health insurance coverage, they often delay seeking care for health needs. When issues become too large to manage, they turn to local hospitals which can lead to overcrowded emergency departments, longer wait times, increased costs for care, and increasing prices for everyone. SNAP has also been linked with lower health care costs and improved health outcomes, especially for struggling families.
CHILD TAX CREDIT
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A refundable credit means families with little, or no tax liability still receive the benefit, helping the lowest-income households. If it’s not refundable, tens of thousands of Alaska’s children, especially those in low-wage homes, get nothing, even though they may need it the most.
What is the difference between refundable and nonrefundable credits? | Tax Policy Center
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Multiple studies have shown that the expanded Child Tax Credit in 2021 lifted 2.9 million children out of poverty. It helps families pay for basics like food, diapers, utilities, and housing, creating stability during a child’s early years.
The Impact of the 2021 Expanded Child Tax Credit on Child Poverty (census.gov)
INCREASED COSTS
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Yes. For the first time, states like Alaska will be required to cost-share SNAP, increasing pressure on already tight state budgets. In the recently passed Reconciliation Bill, the cost-share for Alaska could be as high at $38 million. The bill also fails to extend premium tax credits for marketplace insurance coverage, which will result in higher insurance premiums for families. And the loss of coverage caused by additional red tape will result in more uncompensated care, care provided but not covered by a payer source, increasing costs for health care providers and hospital systems.
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It increases copayments for certain Medicaid populations and shortens retroactive coverage, which means families might face large out-of-pocket bills if they’re still waiting for Medicaid to be approved. Even those exempt from work requirements would still need to submit regular reports, creating more paperwork and delays in care. And the failure to extend the premium tax credits for health insurance purchased on the marketplace will result in higher premiums for families.
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Families will face new reporting rules, certifications, and paperwork to keep accessing SNAP, Medicaid, or tax credits, even if they’re already exempt from the work requirement. This increases administrative burdens and delays access to services.
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Read sectionals on the bill from U.S. Senate Committees. Sectionals break down the bill by item.
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Spread awareness and share accurate information