Republicans in Congress who have been moving to gut Medicaid have hit a roadblock: outrage from the American people who are fed up with the GOP. According to analysis by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, Republicans cannot achieve their savings targets without deeply cutting Medicaid, which would throw 23.3 million Americans off their health coverage and kill 34,200 people each year.
The American people know Medicaid is a lifeline for their family, friends, and neighbors and have taken to town halls, rallies, and protests about it. Poll after poll after poll – even Trump’s own pollster – have confirmed this is completely out of step with the American people with broad opposition across party lines to any cuts to Medicaid. Now as Republicans must determine exactly how they will slash Medicaid, the party is running scared.
Politico: GOP Delays Budget Markup Amidst Backlash to Medicaid Cuts.
- “House GOP leaders are pushing Energy and Commerce Committee’s megabill markup another week as Republicans try to resolve lingering issues over spending cuts to Medicaid… One of the key issues remaining is how far Republicans go to implement a controversial proposal to cap federal Medicaid payments to states, as leaders try to work through various estimates about savings, according to two other people with direct knowledge.”
The Hill: House Republicans are in Disarray Over Disagreements to Catastrophic Medicaid Cuts.
- “[O]n Thursday, the panel informed members that it is now eyeing a markup the week of May 12, a committee source told The Hill… The delay comes after a week of House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.) holding meetings with a cross-section of House Republicans, which failed to help reach consensus on potential cuts to Medicaid.”
- “The delayed markup deals a blow to Johnson, who was pushing to wrap up all markups next week… The budget resolution, which lays out parameters for crafting the final Trump agenda bill, directs the House Energy and Commerce Committee to find at least $880 billion in cuts, a figure that scorekeepers say cannot be reached without changes to Medicaid, which centrists are adamantly opposed to.”
The Washington Examiner: House Republicans Delay Markup Vote After Meeting With the White House.
- “Two major House hearings to look at President Donald Trump’s ‘one big, beautiful bill’ were delayed after Thursday’s White House meeting… Following the budget framework passing last month, committee leaders tasked with leading sections of the reconciliation package met with lawmakers throughout this week, as several Republicans have expressed concerns over how the GOP can find $1.5 trillion in spending cuts without slashing Medicaid benefits, leaving the House Energy and Commerce markup expected to draw a heated debate.”
Punchbowl News: Infighting About Medicaid Cuts Leads to GOP Delaying Markup Vote.
- “The House Republican leadership has delayed three critical markups on President Donald Trump’s reconciliation package as internal party squabbles have hobbled the GOP’s ability to move quickly… Despite working on the policy behind the scenes for nearly a year to find party consensus, the massive GOP package remains in flux. Huge disagreements over key policy issues remain.”
Politico: Republicans Tap the Breaks With a Surprise E&C Delay.
- “The decision comes after Speaker Mike Johnson, E&C Chair Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.) and other members of the House GOP leadership team ran through Medicaid proposals and other major pieces of the GOP’s party-line domestic policy package with President Donald Trump during a White House meeting Thursday. One key issue remaining is how far Republicans will go to implement a controversial proposal to cap federal Medicaid payments to states as leaders try to work through various estimates about savings, according to two other people with direct knowledge of the matter.”