KFF Health News' 'What the Health?'
House GOP Plan Targets Medicaid
Feb 27, 2025
Alice Miranda Ollstein, a health reporter for Politico, Shefali Luthra from The 19th, and Victoria Knight of Axios unpack the House's budget plan attacking Medicaid funding. They discuss the potential fallout of these cuts, especially with one in five Americans reliant on the program. The conversation then shifts to the political tussle in the Senate and the ongoing judicial battles affecting healthcare policies, from NIH funding to abortion access. The panelists also share must-read health policy stories, rounding out a compelling discussion on healthcare's future.
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Quick takeaways
- The House's recent budget plan proposes significant cuts to Medicaid, igniting fierce debate over healthcare funding priorities, especially for vulnerable populations.
- A recent court ruling on USAID funding delays underscores the necessity for judicial oversight to ensure government adherence to legislative fiscal responsibilities.
Deep dives
Budget Resolutions and Medicaid Cuts
The recent passage of a House budget resolution signals an ongoing debate about fiscal policy, particularly concerning Medicaid. The resolution, passed by a slim margin, calls for significant cuts aimed at achieving a savings of $880 billion, predominantly targeting Medicaid despite no explicit mentions of it in the document. This leads to a contentious discussion among lawmakers, where Democrats accuse Republicans of jeopardizing healthcare for vulnerable populations to fund tax cuts for the wealthy. Meanwhile, some Republican senators express reluctance to push for harsh Medicaid cuts, highlighting the political sensitivity surrounding the issue, especially with growing public support for Medicaid among constituents.
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