Pelosi Says Republicans Will ‘Overplay Their Hands’ If They Try To Cut Medicare
The House Democratic leader pledges to fight any GOP efforts to overhaul the health program that serves older Americans. In other news: a look at how Republicans might cut Medicare funding as part of efforts by President-elect Donald Trump's "trillion-dollar" agenda, and congressional Democrats are lobbying the administration to drop a plan to change how Medicare pays for some prescription drugs.
Fiscal Times:
Pelosi Warns Trump And Ryan Are Overplaying Their Hands On Medicare
House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi vowed on Monday to lead the fight to defeat any GOP effort to overhaul and cut Medicare. The veteran California lawmaker warned that President-elect Donald Trump and House Speaker Paul Ryan would be seriously overpaying their hands if they try to tamper with the nation’s premier health care programs for seniors. (Pianin, 11/22)
The Washington Post:
How To Pay For Donald Trump’s Trillion-Dollar Agenda? Congressional Republicans Aren’t Saying.
President-elect Donald Trump intends to launch a broad legislative agenda that includes cutting taxes, rolling back the Affordable Care Act, growing the military and rebuilding the nation’s infrastructure. The question is how congressional Republicans, after eight years of apocalyptic warnings about the growing national debt, will respond to the dire fiscal implications of proposals that would likely send the deficit soaring. ... Some Republicans in Congress, including House Speaker Paul D. Ryan, have indicated that some sacred cows might be up for slaughter. Those include federal entitlement programs such as Medicare, (DeBonis and Snell, 11/21)
Morning Consult:
Top Dems Urge Administration Not To Finalize Medicare Drug Payment Proposal
Top Democrats urged the Obama administration to not finalize a program that would test new ways for Medicare to pay for some prescription drugs, congressional aides confirmed to Morning Consult. Incoming Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) urged the administration not to publish a final rule as the administration rounds out its term. The administration has not responded to the lawmakers, according to a congressional aide. (McIntire, 11/21)