US Republicans Propose Healthcare Cuts to Fund Iran War, Here Are the Main Impacts!

Liputan6.com, Jakarta - US Republicans are considering a controversial measure by planning to cut federal spending on healthcare to fund the Iran war and immigration enforcement.

This proposal comes from Republicans, with House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington reviving the idea of ​​cutting payments to the Affordable Care Act (ACA), as reported by Axios.

The goal is to help finance a budget bill that includes up to $200 billion for the ongoing Iran war.

The budget cuts are centered in the US Congress and are expected to spark heated debate, especially from the Democratic party.

NEW: Republicans are considering reductions in federal health spending to help pay for a budget bill containing as much as $200 billion to fund the Iran war and immigration enforcement. https://t.co/6gLxDT7kTm

— Axios (@axios) March 30, 2026

This new effort to rein in federal healthcare programs is expected to be highly controversial, especially as the election year approaches.

Republicans risk facing sharp criticism for cutting healthcare to fund a conflict with little public support.

House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington of Texas has reiterated an idea that was considered last year: cutting funding for cost-sharing reductions in the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise also indicated other considerations.

His focus is on fraud, waste, and abuse in various federal programs, as part of budget-saving efforts.

"There's other items we're looking at right now, especially in the areas of fraud and waste and abuse that we're working through with our members," House Majority Leader Steve Scalise told Axios.

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) previously projected that cutting the ACA's cost-sharing reductions could save $31 billion over a decade.

However, the CBO projections also point to a downside: a potential increase in the number of uninsured individuals as estimated 300,000 more Americans would lose their insurance coverage as a result of these cuts.

While average insurance premiums could theoretically decrease by about 11%, reduced assistance with those premiums would negate these savings, especially for those most in need of affordable healthcare access.

The funds saved from these cuts could also be allocated to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

The proposed healthcare cuts have drawn strong criticism from Democrats.

Senator Elizabeth Warren openly stated in her platform that "Republicans in Congress want to cut American healthcare to pay for more war in Iran. Let that sink in."

The Democratic National Committee (DCCC) also highlighted that Republicans plan to cut healthcare to finance what they called a "reckless" war in Iran.

The conflict in Iran, known as "Operation Epic Fury," has cost the United States a significant amount of money.

In the first two weeks alone, the US has spent at least $12 billion on the war, according to Trump administration officials.

This spending figure quickly became a major concern among critics of the war, who argued that the funds could have been allocated to healthcare, education, and other vital domestic programs.

As of March 13, the cost of the war had soared to approximately $16.5 billion, with an estimated expenditure of $8 billion per week.

If this rate continues for six months, the total cost could reach approximately $200 billion, according to the Pentagon's request for additional funding.

By comparison, the cost of the Iran war in the first week ($11.3 billion) is more than enough to fully fund the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), or the National Cancer Institute for the year.