Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Trump Budget Slashes Medicaid Funding, Rejecting Some Conservatives' Pleas To Save Expansion
The Washington Post: Trump To Propose Big Cuts To Safety-Net In New Budget, Slashing Medicaid And Opening Door To Other Limits
President Trump’s first major budget proposal on Tuesday will include massive cuts to Medicaid and call for changes to anti-poverty programs that would give states new power to limit a range of benefits, people familiar with the planning said, despite growing unease in Congress about cutting the safety net. For Medicaid, the state-federal program that provides health care to low-income Americans, Trump’s budget plan would follow through on a bill passed by House Republicans to cut more than $800 billion over 10 years. The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that this could cut off Medicaid benefits for about 10 million people over the next decade. (Paletta, 5/21)
The Associated Press: Huge Cuts To Food Stamps Part Of Trump’s Budget Proposal
Trump is also targeting the Medicaid health program that provides care to the poor and disabled, and nursing home care to millions of older people who could not otherwise afford it. The House had a bitter debate on health care before a razor-thin 217-213 passage in early May of a GOP health bill that included more than $800 billion in Medicaid cuts over the coming decade. Key Republicans are not interested in another round of cuts to the program. “I would think that the health care bill is our best policy statement on Medicaid going forward,” said Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore., chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which has jurisdiction over the program. (Taylor, 5/21)
CNN: Trump Budget: $800 Billion In Medicaid Cuts
Donald Trump's budget that is expected to be unveiled on Tuesday will include $800 billion in cuts to Medicaid. ... The $800 billion reduction, confirmed to CNN Sunday evening by a senior administration official, assumes that the GOP health care bill that the House passed earlier this month would become law, that official said. (Lee and Luhby, 5/22)
Modern Healthcare: Trump Budget Proposal Would Slash Medicaid
By cutting Medicaid, Trump is rejecting the calls of some Senate Republicans who asked him not to stop expansion of Medicaid, which funneled billions into cash-strapped states. Even the most ardent opponents of the Affordable Care Act held out their hands when the federal government offered to subsidize the cost of expanding eligibility for Medicaid. Earlier this month, a bill to repeal the ACA that included massive cuts to Medicaid, passed by a razor-thin 217-213. Key Republicans have signaled they are not interested in another round of cuts to the program. (5/21)
Bloomberg: Trump To Propose Deep Cuts To Anti-Poverty Programs And Medicaid
During the presidential campaign, Trump promised not to cut Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid. He has already broken that promise on Medicaid by backing cuts to the program called for under the Obamacare repeal bill passed by the House on May 4. The White House has said that the president intends in his budget to keep his pledge on Medicare benefits and Social Security retirement benefits. (Wasson and Dennis, 5/21)
The Hill: Trump Budget Will Slash Medicaid, Food Stamps Programs: Reports
Trump's budget will be released Tuesday, but the proposal is a blueprint for Congress, which appropriates the funds. The Post noted that some Republicans won’t back some of the larger cuts Trump will propose. (Carter, 5/21)
