Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Slashing Medicaid Would Force States To Cut Provider Pay, Analysis Finds
Modern Healthcare: Medicaid Cuts In Tax Bill Would Lower Provider Pay: CBO
States would be forced to reduce provider reimbursements to cope with the Medicaid cuts in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office concludes in an analysis issued Tuesday. The legislation, which passed the House last month and which President Donald Trump and Senate GOP leaders are hurrying to finish as soon as this week, would reduce federal Medicaid spending by more than $800 billion over 10 years, in part by restricting provider taxes that states use to help cover their Medicaid expenses. (McAuliff, 6/24)
The Hill: House GOP Moderates Tell Leadership They Won't Back Senate Tax Bill Over Medicaid Cuts
More than a dozen House Republicans warned they won’t support the Senate’s version of the tax and spending bill because the proposed Medicaid cuts are too steep. Led by Rep. David Valadao (R-Calif.), 15 other vulnerable Republicans sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) saying they support the Medicaid reforms in the House version of the legislation, but the Senate Finance Committee proposal went too far. (Weixel, 6/24)
Modern Healthcare: Healthcare Cuts In One Big Beautiful Bill Targeted By AFT
The American Federation of Teachers released a series of eight ads in eight states opposing the proposed tax cut bill, which includes more than $1 trillion in cuts to healthcare spending. The campaign, set to roll out across all major online platforms and streaming services over 10 days, cost at least $100,000, according to the union. The specific cost of the campaign was not disclosed. (DeSilva, 6/24)
The Hill: Medicaid Cuts In GOP Megabill Would Hurt COPD Patients
The deep cuts to Medicaid outlined in President Trump’s budget reconciliation bill would hurt Americans suffering from conditions like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), Rep. Maxine Dexter (D-Ore.) said Tuesday at The Hill’s “Matters of Life and Breath: Championing COPD Care” event. COPD is a progressive lung disease that makes it difficult to breathe. It is often caused by prolonged exposure to smoke or air pollution and is one of the leading causes of death in the U.S., according to the American Lung Association. (O’Connell-Domenech, 6/24)
Politico: White House Sends Dr. Oz To Calm Senate Nerves
The Senate Republican megabill is ailing. The White House thinks it has a doctor for that. Dr. Mehmet Oz, the celebrity surgeon best known for dispensing medical advice on television and now a top Trump health official, has emerged as the administration’s go-to salesman for the sweeping Medicaid overhaul at the center of the GOP’s legislative ambitions. (Cancryn, 6/24)
The Hill: Key GOP Senator Warns Medicaid Cuts Could Spell Political Disaster For Republicans
Sen. Thom Tillis (N.C.), one of the most vulnerable Senate Republican incumbents facing re-election in 2026, warned Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) bluntly in a private meeting Tuesday that deep cuts to Medicaid could cost Republicans control of the House and Senate, according to a person familiar with the conversation. (Bolton, 6/25)
