Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Senators Express Dissatisfaction With House Megabill Draft, Medicaid Cuts
NBC News: Senate Republicans Put House On Notice: We Won't Accept Your Trump Agenda Bill Without Changes
As House Republicans scramble to corral the votes to pass a massive bill for President Donald Trump's agenda, their Senate counterparts are making clear the emerging package won’t fly as written when it reaches them. Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., was categorical that the product coming out of various House committees cannot pass the Senate as it currently stands. “No. We’ll make changes,” Hoeven said. “We’ve been talking with the House and there’s a lot of things we agree on. … But there’ll be changes in a number of areas.” (Kapur, Tsirkin and Thorp V, 5/15)
The Hill: GOP Leaders To Accelerate Medicaid Work Requirements
Republican leaders intend to accelerate new work requirements under Medicaid as they scramble to secure the support of GOP holdouts for President Trump’s “big, beautiful bill.” House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) said Thursday that GOP leaders “absolutely” intend to speed up the implementation to ease the concerns of the Republicans threatening to sink the package if changes aren’t made. (Lillis, 5/15)
The 19th: If Medicaid Work Requirements Are Imposed, Women Stand To Lose The Most
Congressional Republicans are poised to make massive spending cuts to the Medicaid program that provides health insurance to millions of Americans — in part by enacting federal work requirements that they claim won’t affect the most vulnerable recipients. But data analysis shows that poor middle-aged and older women would be among the most impacted. (Rodriguez, 5/15)
KFF Health News: KFF Health News’ ‘What The Health?’: GOP Poised To Cut Billions In Health Benefits
After all-night markups, two key House committees approved GOP budget legislation that would cut hundreds of billions of dollars from federal health programs over the next decade, mostly from the Medicaid program for people with low incomes or disabilities. The legislation is far from a done deal, though, with at least one Republican senator voicing opposition to Medicaid cuts. Meanwhile, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. testified before Congress for the first time since taking office. (Rovner, 5/15)
In related news about the gun violence epidemic —
Politico: Need A Gun Silencer? You Might Get A Tax Break
The sprawling tax package before the House is pocked with the sort of bespoke tax breaks lawmakers in both parties have long lamented. In a search for votes, and hemmed in by their tiny majority, Republicans have included a hodgepodge of tax provisions demanded by colleagues that are aimed at narrow constituencies. In legislation otherwise focused on extending a slate of major tax cuts set to expire at the end of this year, there’s also a $1 billion tax break on gun silencers. (Faler, 5/15)
