Senate Republicans Engage in Closed-Door Debates Over Medicaid Overhaul
WASHINGTON: Congressional Republicans, under pressure to move forward on President Donald Trump’s tax cut and border security agenda, are at odds over how much spending they can cut from the federal budget without leaving constituents who rely on social safety net programs out in the cold.
Debt Ceiling as Leverage
Debate over the Trump agenda also involves another hot-button fiscal issue: the debt ceiling. Senate Republicans who favor deeper spending cuts hope to use the congressionally mandated borrowing limit on the nation’s $36.6 trillion of debt as leverage to get their way.
Medicaid Divide
Senate budget committee chairman Lindsey Graham, who is responsible for producing the Senate blueprint, said matching the House on spending would require a Medicaid overhaul. "If you don’t reform Medicaid, I don’t think you’ll get there," Graham told reporters. "It needs to be reformed."
Not all Republicans agree. "It depends on what else is out there," said senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, who chairs the Senate health, education, labor and pensions committee.
House Plan for Trump’s Agenda
The House plan for Trump’s agenda calls for $880 billion in cuts over a decade from the healthcare and energy sectors and another $230 billion from agriculture, numbers that have raised concerns about the possibility of reductions for Medicaid and nutrition programs for the poor, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
Trump’s Promises
Trump has promised that those who rely on Medicaid, Medicare, and social security will not see reduced benefits. While a majority of House Republicans appear to be on board with changes to Medicaid, especially those in deeply conservative districts, Republican senators who serve broader statewide constituencies that include independents and Democrats have been slower to join the bandwagon.
Medicaid Needs to be Looked at Systematically
Medicaid needs to be looked at more systematically, said senator Thom Tillis, who favors imposing work requirements on able-bodied adults. "The concern that I have, that people say don’t touch it, is they are literally creating a cliff for the beneficiaries who need it," he said.
Conclusion
Senate Republicans are engaged in closed-door debates over whether to overhaul the Medicaid health insurance program for low-income Americans to help pay for extending Trump’s $4.6 trillion in 2017 tax cuts and other tax proposals, as well as a boost in military spending. The program, funded jointly by federal and state governments, covers one in five Americans and cost the federal government $618 billion last year.
FAQs
Q: What is the current state of the Medicaid program?
A: The program is funded jointly by federal and state governments and covers one in five Americans, with a cost of $618 billion to the federal government in 2024.
Q: What are the concerns surrounding Medicaid?
A: Some Republicans believe that adequate spending cuts can be achieved only by overhauling Medicaid, vowing to improve the program rather than cut benefits. Others would rather see social safety net programs preserved, especially at a time of growing recession risk.
Q: What is the debt ceiling?
A: The debt ceiling is the congressionally mandated borrowing limit on the nation’s $36.6 trillion of debt. Senate Republicans who favor deeper spending cuts hope to use the debt ceiling as leverage to get their way.