Fact-check: Sanders says 15 million lost health insurance because of Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill'

"As a result of the 'Big Beautiful Bill,' 15 million Americans have been thrown off the healthcare that they need," Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., said during a committee hearing that included testimony by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Posted 5/8/2026, 8:07:34 PM Updated 5/8/2026, 9:00:05 PM

HIS CLAIM. COMING UP.

>> DEMOCRATS SAY REPUBLICANS

HAVE IGNORED VOTERS. CONCERNS

ABOUT AFFORDABILITY POINTING TO

EVERYTHING FROM GAS PRICES TO

THE COST OF HEALTH CARE.

AND SENATOR BERNIE SANDERS SAYS

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP IN HIS

SECOND TERM HAS ALREADY KICKED

15 MILLION AMERICANS OFF THEIR

HEALTH INSURANCE HOUSE PAY

CHECKS THAT CLAIM FOR

POLITIFACT.

>> AS PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP'S

SIGNATURE LEGISLATION, THE ONE

BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL ACT ALREADY

THROWN 15 MILLION PEOPLE OFF

THEIR HEALTH INSURANCE WILL.

THAT'S WHAT SENATOR BERNIE

SANDERS SAID DURING A HEARING

ON CAPITOL HILL THE OTHER DAY.

YEAH, WE ARE MOVING IN EXACTLY

THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION AS A

RESULT OF THE QUOTE ON, QUOTE,

BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL. 15 MILLION

AMERICANS HAVE BEEN THROWN OFF

THE HEALTH CARE THAT THEY NEED.

>> WE ASKED THE SENATOR'S

OFFICE WHERE HE GOT THAT NUMBER

AND THEY POINTED TO PROJECTIONS

ABOUT THE LAW'S CUTS TO

MEDICAID AND THE AFFORDABLE

CARE ACT. ONE REPORT FROM THE

CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE,

A NONPARTISAN ARM OF CONGRESS

THAT ANALYZES LEGISLATION.

THEY PREDICTED THE NEW LAW

WOULD LEAVE 10 MILLION PEOPLE

WITHOUT INSURANCE BY THE YEAR

2034 ANOTHER STUDY BY THE GROUP

CALLED THE CENTER ON BUDGET

AND POLICY PRIORITIES ON THAT,

ANOTHER 4 MILLION PEOPLE WOULD

LOSE THEIR COVERAGE BECAUSE THE

GOVERNMENT IS ALLOWING

SUBSIDIES TO EXPIRE FOR THE

AFFORDABLE CARE ACT. THOSE

NUMBERS COME FROM FAIRLY

REPUTABLE SOURCES, BUT THEIR

PREDICTIONS. SANDERS SAID

15 MILLION PEOPLE HAVE BEEN

THROWN OFF THEIR HEALTH

INSURANCE. THAT'S NOT WHAT THE

LATEST NUMBERS SHOW. THE

GOVERNMENT'S CENTERS FOR

MEDICARE AND MEDICAID SERVICES

ISSUED THIS PRESS RELEASE IN

LATE MARCH AND THEY SAID 23.1

MILLION AMERICANS SIGNED UP FOR

PLANS ON THE GOVERNMENT'S

HEALTH INSURANCE EXCHANGES FOR

THIS YEAR. THAT'S ONLY 1.2

MILLION LESS THAN THE PRIOR

YEAR, 15 MILLION PEOPLE MIGHT

LOSE COVERAGE BY THE YEAR 2034

BUT FEDERAL POLICIES CAN CHANGE

A LOT IN A YEAR. SO IT'S

PREMATURE FOR SANDERS TO SAY

THAT HAS ALREADY HAPPENED.

ALL OF THIS IS WHY THE TRUTH

METER RACE AND HIS CLIENT MOST.