“A lot of times, health care comes with a job.”
Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), in an interview with KOTA on May 30, 2025
Millions of people are expected to lose access to Medicaid and Affordable Care Act marketplace health insurance plans if federal lawmakers approve the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, President Donald Trump’s domestic policy package, which is now moving through the Senate.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune discussed health care and the pending legislation in an interview with KOTA, a South Dakota TV station. But he focused on a different kind of health insurance — employer-sponsored insurance.
“A lot of times, health care comes with a job,” Thune said.
Thune’s comments in the interview were made in the context of highlighting part of the GOP’s economic policy objective. “Creating those better-paying jobs that come with benefits is ultimately the goal here,” he said.
KFF Health News reached out to Thune’s office to find out the basis for this comment. His communications director, Ryan Wrasse, responded by reiterating Thune’s message: “Getting a job has the potential to lead a worker to acquiring health care.”
Paul Fronstin, director of health benefits research at the Employee Benefit Research Institute, said Thune’s comment may also be alluding to discussions surrounding Medicaid work requirements. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act would let nondisabled adults enroll in Medicaid only if they prove they’re volunteering, working, or searching or training for work.
Medicaid, funded by the federal government and states, is the country’s main health insurance program for people with low incomes. Some people with disabilities also qualify.
Some Republicans have built on the jobs talking point in defending the Medicaid cuts and work requirements. Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.), for instance, told CNBC the bill isn’t about “kicking people off Medicaid. It’s transitioning from Medicaid to employer-provided health care.”
But the health policy experts we checked with made clear that getting a job isn’t a guarantee for getting work-sponsored insurance.
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