Medicaid on the Chopping Block: Will Your Healthcare Be Next?

2025-02-27 07:39:56.329

The battle over the US budget is heating up, with significant consequences for Americans' healthcare. House Republicans aim to extend trillions in expiring tax cuts, but to offset this, they're considering cuts to federal programs, potentially including up to $880 billion from Medicaid over 10 years. While some Republicans, including Senator Josh Hawley, express reservations about cutting benefits for working individuals, the proposed cuts raise concerns. President Trump, despite past promises not to cut Medicaid, Medicare, or Social Security, has left room for cuts by focusing on fraud. Medicaid provides health insurance to over 72 million low-income Americans, covering children, seniors, people with disabilities, and more. Coverage and eligibility vary by state, with some states expanding Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. Funding is shared between the federal government and states. Republicans believe Medicaid is ripe for cuts due to perceived waste, fraud, and abuse, and a belief that able-bodied adults should work for government assistance. Proposed cuts could take several forms: implementing work requirements (risking coverage for 36 million), reducing the federal match for expansion populations (potentially causing states to drop expansion, impacting 20 million), and establishing a per capita cap on federal funding (potentially impacting 15 million). While there are improper payments in the system, the majority are due to insufficient documentation, not fraud. Despite the proposed cuts, Medicaid enjoys high public approval, with over three-quarters of Americans holding a favorable view.