It Is Mathematically Impossible For Republicans To Meet the Requirements of Their Budget Resolution Without Gutting Medicaid and Ripping Away Health Care From Americans
Last night, House Republicans voted to advance a budget resolution slashing Medicaid funding to the tune of nearly $1 trillion – all to give tax breaks to the ultra-wealthy and big corporations while raising taxes on the rest of us. House Republicans are now attempting to defend their votes to rip away health care from tens of millions of Americans while opening the door to cut up to $2 trillion from Medicaid, even though Americans across party lines oppose cuts to Medicaid, and polling finds that a majority of Americans think the government should spend more on health care, not less.
These lies are coming from the very top – Republican leadership has been doubling down on lies about their budget resolution in order to get more members of the caucus on board. But make no mistake: Republicans are gaslighting the American people and their own members. There is no question that the resolution puts Medicaid on the chopping block. The bill tasks the Energy and Commerce Committee, which oversees Medicaid and Medicare, with finding $880 billion in cuts, putting millions of Americans’ health care in jeopardy. No matter what Republicans may say this vote means, it will end in draconian cuts to Medicaid.
FACT CHECK:
New York Times: “Mathematically, the budget committee’s instructions mean the committee would need to make major cuts to either Medicare, Medicaid or both. Congressional leadership has been signaling that Medicaid has been the main focus. … If the budget resolution is going to become public policy, it will require legislation that cuts health programs.”
Washington Post: “The House-passed budget proposal pretty clearly requires cutting Medicaid, and that’s a big political problem. … Republicans will need to get more specific if they want to pay for extending Trump’s tax cuts. And both the math and their comments make clear that will involve significant Medicaid cuts.”
Sahil Kupar, NBC News: “[The Republican budget] tells Energy & Commerce Cmte, which oversees Medicaid, to find cuts of $880 billion. Republicans openly say spending less on Medicaid will be part of that.”
New York Magazine: “Republicans are using their traditional tactic of not acknowledging that Medicaid cuts are Medicaid cuts.”
HuffPost: “House Adopts Republican Budget That Calls For Medicaid Cuts”
Eight House Republicans in a letter to Speaker Johnson last week: “The House Budget Resolution proposed $880 billion in cuts to programs under the jurisdiction of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, with Medicaid expected to bear the brunt of these reductions.”
Background
Polling shows strong opposition across party lines to cutting Medicaid from a majority of voters, including Trump voters, who have a favorable view of Medicaid and see it as an important source of health care. The GOP budget slashes Medicaid and would have a devastating impact on the most vulnerable Americans, including low-income seniors, children, veterans, people with serious disabilities, and people who take care of their children or elderly parents.