Florida Leadership Mum on Devastating Proposed Federal Cuts as State Lawmakers Negotiate Budget

‘Widespread, Long-Lasting Hardship’: Florida Groups Caution That Impact of Proposed Federal Cuts Would Reverberate in Every County‍

As the Florida House and Senate prepare to iron out differences in their respective budget proposals, largely missing from discussions so far is congressional leaders’ push for over a trillion dollars in potential cuts to vital programs and services to “offset” the costs of extending and expanding tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans.

The U.S. House and Senate, who are currently on a two-week recess, are scheduled to reconvene on April 28. Before the break, each chamber passed its own budget blueprint, known as a budget resolution. The House’s proposal calls for $880 billion in Medicaid cuts and $230 billion in SNAP cuts over a 10-year period.

If enacted, deep federal cuts to Medicaid and SNAP would force Florida lawmakers to choose: raise billions in additional revenue each year to plug the hole, cut funding for other programs and services in the budget, cut Medicaid and SNAP in the form of program eligibility and/or benefits, or act on a combination of these options. State economists have already forecast a $2.8 billion deficit for Florida in FY 2026-27, which they project will increase to $6.9 billion in FY 2027-28.

“The Florida House and Senate have passed their respective budget proposals without addressing the potential loss of billions in federal funding on the horizon,” said Sadaf Knight, CEO of FPI. “Our state’s safety net is already frayed, and if congressional leadership has its way, we could see a catastrophic loss of health care coverage and food assistance in Florida, impacting families in every single county and wreaking havoc on the state and local economies. Our Florida lawmakers need to be vocal right now and tell Congress that these deep cuts are simply not acceptable.”

There are currently over 3.9 million Floridians on Medicaid — most of whom are children, older adults, or people with disabilities — and over 2.9 million Floridians who depend on SNAP food assistance. People in each county in Florida rely on these critical programs, and every community in Florida would be impacted by dramatic cuts.

Research shows that Florida families, communities, and state and local economies will experience widespread, long-lasting hardship if the deep safety net cuts being floated are enacted. A recent study by The Commonwealth Fund found that if the current Medicaid and SNAP cuts proposal is allowed to go into effect, without the state filling in the gap, the state will lose nearly 45,000 jobs and its GDP will shrink by over $4.5 billion.

Medicaid Per Capita Caps or Work Requirements Would Put Floridians’ Health Care Coverage at Risk

Some federal proposals have called for a fixed amount of funding per Medicaid enrollee, otherwise known as “per capita caps.” Under this scenario, Florida could see a cost shift of between $20 billion and $38 billion from 2026 to 2035, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, forcing state lawmakers to cut benefits, enrollment, or payments to providers.

Another fiscal estimate, by KFF, found that under the current House proposal, Florida would lose $4 billion in federal Medicaid funding a year — more than Florida’s entire current-year budget for its Department of Environmental Protection.

Another proposal being floated, Medicaid work requirements, could put more than 1 million Floridians’ coverage at risk.

While congressional leadership is working on budget proposals to make drastic cuts to Medicaid, the program is widely popular across voters of all political parties, and cutting Medicaid is deeply unpopular. A recent poll by Florida-based polling firm Fabrizio Ward found that 74 percent of U.S. voters had a favorable view of Medicaid, while only 11 percent had an unfavorable opinion. Not only is preserving Medicaid popular, but expanding the program is also popular in Florida. A March 2025 Mason Dixon poll revealed that 78 percent of Florida voters support expanding Medicaid to adults with income below 138 percent of the federal poverty level ($37,777 for a family of three), including 91 percent of Democrats, 69 percent of Republicans, and 74 percent of Independent voters in the state.

“Any lawmaker who supports these harmful Medicaid cuts to pay for tax breaks for billionaires should be ashamed because they are putting lives at risk. Taking away this vital healthcare will make the ill sicker, stunt growth opportunities for children with learning differences as well as people with disabilities, close the door on seniors who can’t afford to pay nursing home care and shatter the lives of many more vulnerable Floridians,” said Coy Jones, 1199SEIU Political Director and Vice President at SEIU Florida. “But our union of 35,000 active and retired healthcare workers will continue to raise our collective voice, lobby elected officials and stand with our allies to speak out against these cuts and others on the chopping block, including SNAP benefits – a vital food assistance program that helps nearly three million Floridians put food on the table.”

“The proposed federal cuts to Medicaid and SNAP would be devastating for millions of Floridians who rely on these essential programs for healthcare and food security,” said Alison Yager, executive director of Florida Health Justice Project. “As the economic sands are shifting beneath our feet, Florida's most vulnerable residents — children, seniors, and people with disabilities — would bear the brunt of these shortsighted policies. Our state leaders must speak out against these proposals and recognize that cutting vital safety net programs doesn't save money in the long run—it simply shifts costs and creates preventable suffering for Floridians from Miami to the Panhandle.”

“Having access to affordable health care coverage is a lifeline for Floridians,” said Scott Darius, executive director of Florida Voices for Health. “The conversations that federal lawmakers are having on Medicaid should be centered on how to improve the program — not on enacting deep cuts that would put the health and well-being of children and adults at risk.”

Maverick is a 5-year-old who has Cri du Chat syndrome and more than 30 other medical issues. Last week, he and his mom Jacqueline Rich flew from their home in Jacksonville to meet with Florida Congressmembers and staff on Capitol Hill, asking them to protect these lifeline programs. She knows the feeling of inadequate health care - she lost access to health care services for children with special needs during last year’s public health emergency unwinding. Jacqueline said, “Maverick and I are crystal clear examples of what happens when you cut Medicaid. His medical progress is at risk. Critical caretaker self-care time is at risk with the loss of the financial help we were getting for medical day care. I went to D.C. to make sure Congress and their staff know the faces of the constituents they could be impacting if they make cuts to Medicaid. Instead of cutting, both federal and state lawmakers should be working together to make the program work better for Florida families.”

Maverick and his parents, Jacqueline and Kyle, braving the cold DC weather to talk to their Florida congressional representatives about protecting Medicaid and SNAP.

Food Insecurity Would Increase Under Deep Cuts to SNAP

Some congressional leaders are calling for states to be required to pay a portion of SNAP food benefits for the first time. While questions remain as to how much states could be required to pay of SNAP food benefit costs, if Congress implemented a new state match of 10% of SNAP benefits, it would cost Florida roughly $657 million in 2026 — or more than what the state spent in its FY 2024-25 budget on affordable housing.

“Cuts to SNAP are not just numbers on a budget — they are meals taken from the children, seniors, and working families who rely on this much-needed program to get through the month,” said Kim Johnson, president/CEO of Florida Impact. “Food prices are at an all-time high and the need continues to grow, cutting SNAP would deepen hunger and hardship in every corner of our state & country. We must protect and strengthen — not weaken — programs that keep our families fed and communities healthy.”

Food assistance plays a critical role in Florida: more than 59% of families participating in SNAP have children, and more than 41% of participating families include seniors or adults with disabilities. Additionally, SNAP benefits are spent at 15,100 grocery stores in Florida. Every $1 in additional spending on SNAP benefits generates $1.50 in economic activity when households use their benefits to shop at local businesses in their communities.

FPI is an independent, nonpartisan and nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing state policies and budgets that improve the economic mobility and quality of life for all Floridians.