New Honest Arizona Report Shows How Year-Old Republican Tax Law Impacts Veterans

TUCSON — Honest Arizona has a new report showing how Arizona veterans are losing access to health care and food assistance and experiencing rising costs as a result of the year-old Republican Tax Law..

According to Honest Arizona’s report:

Medicaid and the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) have a critical role to play in keeping veterans healthy. But recent federal Medicaid cuts are disrupting Arizona’s health care system, creating new challenges for patients and providers alike.

In July 2025, Congress enacted the Republican Tax Law (H.R. 1), which included the largest Medicaid cuts in history – nearly $930 billion over the next decade. These cuts are being used to finance tax breaks disproportionately benefiting wealthy households and big corporations, while putting health care at risk for millions of Americans, including veterans.

Stakes are high for Arizona’s near-half million veterans. In Arizona, 42,100 veterans—about 10 percent of the state’s veteran population—are enrolled in Medicaid, making Arizona tied for the sixth-highest state for veteran Medicaid enrollment in the country. Nationwide, one in ten veterans relies on Medicaid for health coverage, and often, it is their only source of insurance. While some veterans do qualify for VA health care or TRICARE, eligibility is limited. 1.6 million veterans nationally rely on Medicaid because they do not qualify for those programs or require additional coverage.

Not only are veterans at risk of losing health coverage – the Republican Tax Law also made major changes to SNAP by shifting a large scale of program costs onto states. States are responding by tightening eligibility requirements and making enrollment more difficult, effectively ending SNAP benefits for millions.

These changes have serious implications for veterans. Veterans who struggle with finding a job, finding housing, or affording health care are more likely to rely on SNAP to afford food. In 2025, 1.2 million veterans across the country lived in households receiving SNAP benefits. Among them, 40 percent were 65 and older, and 41 percent had a disability.

Arizona’s veterans are particularly vulnerable to these changes. About 31,000 Arizona veterans, or 7 percent of the state’s total veteran population, received SNAP benefits in 2025.

The impact of the Republican Tax Law is already becoming apparent. SNAP enrollment in Arizona has fallen by at least 51 percent since the law passed, the most significant decline of any state. Nationwide, an estimated 300,000 veterans, people experiencing homelessness, and former foster youth are expected to lose benefits in a typical month because they are no longer exempt from harsh SNAP eligibility requirements.

The full report is available online HERE.

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