Savannah Rally Protests Big Beautiful Bill’s Impact on Medicaid

SAVANNAH, Ga. – More than a thousand people gathered in downtown Savannah on Saturday to voice their opposition against the recent passage of the Big Beautiful Bill in Washington, D.C. Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff led the event titled, ‘Rally for Our Republic.’

“They’ve destroyed Medicaid and defunded hospitals and added $4 trillion to the debt to cut taxes for the rich,” Sen. Ossoff told the crowd. The bill was signed into law by President Trump on July 4, 2025, and includes no taxes on tips, an extension of the 2017 Trump tax cuts, and increased funding for the military and border security.

Many attendees expressed concern over cuts to Medicaid funding, which helps cover medical costs for individuals with limited income. “I would like one of my Republican colleagues to explain why an American family has to pay $3,000 to ride an ambulance to the hospital or why they are canceling programs that can make a difference for hardworking people in our state,” Ossoff said.

Representative Buddy Carter, who chaired the health subcommittee that crafted the bill, defended the legislation. “What we did is get rid of waste, fraud and abuse,” Carter stated. “We made sure there are no illegals on Medicaid and that states check the roll twice a year for eligibility.”

Ossoff countered these claims, emphasizing that the changes hurt more Georgians than they help. “They are destroying the Medicaid program when 40% of all kids in Georgia are covered by Medicaid. 50% of all births in Georgia are covered by Medicaid, and 70% of all seniors in Georgia,” he said.

Carter insisted that the new law improves Medicaid access. “What we did with the One Big Beautiful Bill is we made Medicaid better, we saved it, we sustained it, and we stabilized it,” he asserted, predicting residents would soon see its impacts.