Pete Ricketts and the One Big Beautiful Bill: His Vote, Medicaid Cuts, and Nebraska Hospitals

Pete Ricketts cast one of the 50 votes that passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act in the Senate on July 1, 2025, a law the Nebraska Hospital Association said could cut $3.6 billion from Nebraska hospitals over the next decade (roll call; Nebraska Public Media). The Congressional Budget Office projects the law cuts federal health spending by more than $1 trillion and adds 10 million people to the uninsured population nationwide (KFF).

Before final passage, the Nebraska senator voted against motions to strip all Medicaid cuts, to protect rural hospitals, to drop Medicaid paperwork rules, and to change the bill's SNAP provisions (Senate Daily Press). He called the bill "a once-in-a-generation opportunity to deliver for Nebraska" (Ricketts release).

In Nebraska, the state became the first to drop people from Medicaid under the law's work requirements in 2026 (Nebraska Public Media), and the state Department of Revenue projects the law will cost Nebraska's state government more than $406 million over four years (Nebraska Examiner).

Pete Ricketts's Votes and Statements on the One Big Beautiful Bill

• Ricketts Voted Against Protecting Rural Hospitals From the Bill in June 2025. On June 30, 2025, Pete Ricketts voted no on Senator Markey's motion to send the bill back to committee to protect rural hospitals, which failed 49 to 51 (roll call; Senate Daily Press). Officials warned before passage that up to six Nebraska hospitals could close if it passed (Nebraska Public Media).
• Ricketts Voted to Waive a SNAP Unfunded Mandate Objection in June 2025. On June 30, 2025, Ricketts voted yes on waiving Senator Klobuchar's point of order that the bill imposed an unfunded mandate on states for SNAP, which passed 51 to 48 (roll call; Senate Daily Press).
• Ricketts Voted Against Removing All Medicaid Cuts in June 2025. On June 30, 2025, Ricketts voted no on Senator Wyden's motion to strip the Medicaid cuts, which failed 47 to 53 on a party-line vote (roll call; Senate Daily Press).
• Ricketts Voted Against Dropping Medicaid Red Tape in June 2025. On June 30, 2025, Ricketts voted no on Senator Coons's motion on Medicaid paperwork requirements, which failed 48 to 52 (roll call; Senate Daily Press).
• Ricketts Voted Against Changing the SNAP Cuts in June 2025. On June 30, 2025, Ricketts voted no on Senator Lujan's SNAP motion, which failed 49 to 51 (roll call), and later that night against motions on SNAP for veterans and foster youth (49 to 51) and for families with children (47 to 53) (roll call; roll call; Senate Daily Press).
• Ricketts Voted Against Keeping ACA Tax Credits in the Bill in June 2025. On June 30, 2025, Ricketts voted no on Senator Ossoff's amendment to extend the enhanced premium tax credits, paid for by a higher rate on incomes over $10 million, which failed 47 to 53 (roll call; Senate Daily Press).
• Ricketts Voted Against Adding Dental, Vision and Hearing to Medicare in July 2025. On July 1, 2025, Ricketts voted no on the Sanders amendment to expand Medicare coverage and cut drug prices, which failed 47 to 53 (roll call; Senate Daily Press).
• Ricketts Voted to Pass the One Big Beautiful Bill on July 1, 2025. On July 1, 2025, Ricketts voted yes on final passage, which passed 50 to 50 with the Vice President breaking the tie (roll call).
• Ricketts Called the Bill a Once in a Generation Opportunity in July 2025. Ricketts said "The One Big Beautiful Bill is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to deliver for Nebraska" on July 1, 2025 (Ricketts release).
• Ricketts Denied the Bill Cut Medicaid in September 2026. At a September 1, 2026 debate, Ricketts said, "I'm going to reject your notion that it was cuts to Medicaid because spending on Medicaid is still going up" (Plains Sentinel). The CBO estimates the law reduces federal health spending by more than $1 trillion (KFF).

What the One Big Beautiful Bill Means for Nebraska

• Nebraska hospitals face a projected $3.6 billion funding cut. The Nebraska Hospital Association said in July 2025 that 44 percent of the state's rural hospitals were already losing money and the bill could cut $3.6 billion from Nebraska hospitals over a decade (Nebraska Public Media).
• Nebraska was the first state to drop people from Medicaid under the new work rules. Nebraska began disenrolling Medicaid members under the law's work requirements in 2026; Nebraska Appleseed has estimated up to 40,000 Nebraskans could eventually lose coverage (Nebraska Public Media).
• About 25,000 fewer Nebraskans receive food aid. SNAP participation in Nebraska fell nearly 17 percent, about 25,000 people, in the year after Congress passed the law (Nebraska Examiner).
• Nebraska's state budget loses more than $406 million. Nebraska's Department of Revenue projects the law will cost state government more than $406 million over four fiscal years, money that would otherwise fund state services (Nebraska Examiner).
• Social Security's trust fund runs out two years sooner. Social Security's chief actuary wrote that the law speeds depletion of the retirement trust fund from 2034 to 2032 (Nebraska Public Media).
• Higher costs for some Medicare drugs. The law exempts more orphan drugs from Medicare price negotiation, which KFF says is likely to raise out-of-pocket costs for people who take them (KFF).

Frequently Asked Questions Pete Ricketts on One Big Beautiful Bill

Last updated: 2026-10-28

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