U.S. House passes budget blueprint, paving way for potential Medicaid cuts

The U.S. House on Thursday narrowly adopted a Republican budget blueprint for slashing taxes and government spending, after hardline conservatives concerned that it would balloon the nation’s debt ended a revolt that had threatened to derail President Trump’s domestic agenda (Source: “House Passes G.O.P. Budget After Conservative Revolt Collapses,” New York Times, April 10).

Approval of the plan allows Republican leaders to move forward with crafting major legislation to enact a huge tax cut, financed with deep reductions in spending on federal programs, and pushing it through Congress over Democratic opposition.
 
Republican Rep. Chip Roy of Texas said in a lengthy statement that he had “reluctantly voted” for the measure only after receiving promises from Trump and party leaders that their budget legislation would include deep cuts to federal entitlement programs, including “a minimum of $1 trillion in real reductions in mandatory spending.” He said that Trump had committed to “fully repeal” President Biden's Inflation Reduction Act as part of the plan, and to implement reforms to Medicaid “addressing eligibility, waste, fraud, abuse and the disastrous money laundering schemes pervasive in the program.”
 
HPIO recently released a brief titled “Policy Considerations: The Future of Group VIII (expansion) Medicaid Coverage in Ohio.” The publication provides data and information on the status of Medicaid expansion in Ohio and includes a series of policy considerations for state and federal leaders.
 
In the coming weeks, HPIO plans to release additional resources to assist policymakers who are evaluating options related to Medicaid coverage in Ohio. The Institute also recently released the latest edition of its biennial Ohio Medicaid Basics publication, which provides an overview of the Ohio Medicaid program, including eligibility, covered services, spending and recent policy changes.