Senator Jon Ossoff spoke to a crowd of over a thousand people in downtown Savannah on Saturday. The event, called “Rally for Our Republic,” focused on growing concerns about recent changes to Medicaid funding.
The changes are part of a new law called the One Big Beautiful Bill. It was signed into law by President Trump on July 4, 2025. The law includes no taxes on tips, an extension of the 2017 tax cuts, and increased military and border spending. However, many are upset about how it impacts healthcare.
Senator Ossoff strongly criticized the law. He said it gives large tax breaks to the wealthy while taking away health coverage from people in need. “They’ve destroyed Medicaid and defunded hospitals,” Ossoff told the crowd. “They added $4 trillion to the national debt just to cut taxes for the rich.”
One of the key issues discussed was the reduced funding for Medicaid. The program helps people with low income and few resources pay for medical care. Rally attendees expressed worry about how the cuts would affect families and the poor.
Senator Ossoff challenged lawmakers who supported the bill. “I would like one of my Republican colleagues to explain why an American family has to pay $3,000 to ride an ambulance,” he said. “Why are they canceling programs that help hardworking people?”
Ossoff pointed out that Medicaid plays a large role in Georgia. “Medicaid covers 40% of kids in Georgia. It covers 50% of all births in the state and 70% of seniors,” he said. “Cutting this program will hurt more Georgians than it helps.”
In response, Representative Buddy Carter, who helped write the bill as chair of the House health subcommittee, said the law improves the system.
“We got rid of waste, fraud, and abuse,” Carter said. “We made sure there are no ineligible people or undocumented immigrants receiving Medicaid.”
Carter added that the bill includes rules requiring states to check Medicaid eligibility twice each year. “If someone is no longer eligible, they will move to a different plan,” he explained.
He said these steps were necessary to save Medicaid. “We made Medicaid better, we saved it, we sustained it, and we stabilized it,” Carter said.
But Ossoff believes the bill harms the people it claims to help. He argued that removing people from Medicaid without offering clear options puts families at risk. “This is not about saving money,” he said. “It’s about cutting help for the people who need it most.”
The rally ended with calls for voters to speak up and stay active in political debates. Ossoff urged Georgians to protect healthcare programs and hold lawmakers accountable.
With healthcare access at the center of the debate, both parties are expected to focus heavily on the Medicaid funding cut in future campaigns.