In addition to putting the healthcare of hundreds of thousands of North Carolinians at risk, the changes to Medicaid are expected to negatively impact rural hospitals, potentially leading to the closure of some health clinics in rural communities across the country.
For storm-ravaged communities, little has changed. Aid has been slow, and Whatley has been largely absent from the disaster zone, with Smoky Mountain News reporting that Whatley has “rarely, if ever” visited the area. Records show the FEMA council has met only twice in seven months, totaling about three hours.
For North Carolina, the cuts proposed in Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act are projected to erase $32 billion in Medicaid funding over the next decade, along with food assistance, funding for public schools, and clean energy tax credits.
“I can’t charge $30 for a chocolate bar, I can’t raise your price three times and leave us in this weird spot where we have to switch our business,” Sam Ratto, owner of Videri Chocolate in downtown Raleigh, told ABC 11.
“We’re in the worst hunger crisis that we’ve seen in nearly 20 years and with SNAP cuts that have been passed at the federal level, we’re going to see that spike in a way that we can’t fill the gap up,” Amy Beros, CEO of the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina, told NC Newsline.
When the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” passed Congress, Marilyn Maddocks felt a mix of dread and disbelief. The 68-year-old Boone resident, who relies on food assistance to help make ends meet, told the News & Observer that this law is “the cruelest thing I’ve ever seen America do.”
Nearly one million North Carolinians who rely on ACA health plans are bracing for a costly one-two punch next year: major premium hikes and the loss of federal subsidies that have kept coverage affordable, according to WRAL.
Amid the back-to-school season, North Carolina teachers are facing significant financial challenges, ranking second in the nation for out-of-pocket spending on classroom essentials. The North Carolina Association of Educators notes that the out-of-pocket spending level is a 22% increase from last year’s average of $1,338.
The tour will kick off on Tuesday, August 19th, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., at Galilee Ministries in Charlotte, where dozens of community leaders, concerned North Carolinians, and local advocates are invited to share their concerns around Trump’s costly budget bill.
The group held a town hall in Raleigh to highlight how Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” further rigs the system against hardworking people and cuts crucial health care and food assistance for millions of Americans.