How the recently passed One Big Beautiful Bill could impact families with disabled family members

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Many throughout the country are not celebrating the passing of the One Big Beautiful Bill.

Here locally, one leader says she is scared for the repercussions of the bill, especially for disabled individuals and their family for rely on certain Medicaid waivers to help with taking care of their loved ones.

Laura Orsland, the executive director and Founder of The HIVE in Bowling Green, has an adult son who requires around the clock care and says that without the waivers that could be cut due to budget cuts, her and her family would not have the opportunity to be a part of the community and continue to provide opportunities to those who have disabilities.

“Like many other parents, it is what allows me to work and and be a part of this community. Because part of my son’s disability includes extreme acute panic. Going out in public is really, really difficult for him, and so is very, very difficult for we would just be homebound. If you remember what COVID was like. That is that is our lives without the Medicaid waivers,” Orsland said.

Orsland says this bill doesn’t just hurt families like her own, however, and that millions of Americans across the country will feel the sting of the Medicaid cuts.

“I just have a plea for people to understand the truth about matters like this and that this, this bill, no matter what they say, it is not in the best interest of the people who receive Medicaid. It will hurt. It will hurt. Across the country, millions of us,” Orsland said.

The bill now heads to president Donald Trump’s desk before the Fourth of July deadline he requested.