Medicaid cuts would hurt millions; and Republicans

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

By Mary Ellen Klas / Bloomberg Opinion

Republicans are taking a huge political gamble as they try to find money for tax cuts by threatening to slash Medicaid. As Congress has learned repeatedly, most recently in 2018, when the party in power messes with Americans’ health care, things don’t go well for them in midterm elections.

Medicaid covers more than 72 million people across the country; about 1 in 4 Americans overall, and about half of all children. It disproportionately covers people with disabilities, the low-income elderly, and anyone needing long term care. And it fills in the gaps for millions of people who need mental health and nursing home services that aren’t otherwise covered by health insurance. Polls show the public health insurance program is viewed favorably by 77 percent of all Americans, and 84 percent of those on the program.

Yet a week ago, under pressure from President Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson, all but one House Republican voted for a “budget framework” that could remove as much as $880 billion from Medicaid over the next 10 years. Johnson denied there would be deep cuts. “We’re going to take care of those who are rightful beneficiaries of the programs,” he confidently told CNN on Wednesday night. He vowed instead to “carve out fraud, waste and abuse and find efficiencies.”

This is expert-level gaslighting. Johnson knows that $880 billion in savings is impossible to achieve by only targeting “fraud, waste and abuse.” And even if it were possible, it’s only about 19 percent of the $4.6 trillion needed to renew the tax cuts passed during the first Trump administration.

https://www.heraldnet.com/opinion/comment-medicaid-cuts-would-hurt-millions-and-republicans/

[J_William_Ryan]

1. Cuts to Medicaid that are reckless, irresponsible, and unwarranted.

Republicans have contempt for sound, responsible governance.

[CTyankee]

2. Aren't there Republicans who are on Medicaid? Or have members of their own families on Medicaid?

My only guess is that our repuke lawmakers are ignoring their constituents who have a parent in a nursing home and NEED Medicaid to pay for it. These repukes are hoping they won't notice? What happens when these chickens come home to roost?

[XanaDUer2]

3. Yes

My state is full of them. Lots of trumpers. It was a dem gov cooper that got it expanded to this state