Federal Update: House Republicans Introduce Budget Resolution with Significant Cuts to Medicaid/Medicare
House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI) unveiled the Republican 10-year budget blueprint this morning, which includes changes designed to rein in Medicare and Medicaid spending while squeezing trillions of dollars from the nation’s deficit.
The House Budget chairman says his overall objective is to convert Medicare into a premium support program. His proposal slashes $1.43 trillion over the next 10 years from Medicare and Medicaid—drastically cutting critical services for seniors, people with disabilities, and children. The resolution essentially eliminates the Medicaid extension and affordability subsidies in the Affordable Care Act, turns Medicaid into a block grant program, and Medicare into a voucher program.
According to the House Budget Committee talking points, the budget resolution promotes patient-centered health care – “Repeals and defunds the President’s health care law, advancing instead common-sense solutions focused on lowering costs, expanding access and protecting the doctor-patient relationship.”The House Committee on Budget will mark-up the resolution this week and will likely hold a floor vote next week.
It is not anticipated that the Senate will take similar action, however, the debate in the House will set the tone for future debate on health care and the budget.
The “Path to Prosperity” is more of a political document that will be the subject of countless campaign commercials, fundraising e-mails and debate questions at both the presidential and congressional levels.
More Resources
- A Closer Look: What the House Budget Resolution Means for America’s Seniors and People with Disabilities [Families USA]
- Democratic governors from 16 states, and a 17th from the Virgin Islands, sent a letter to congressional leaders critiquing the Republican budget proposal to block-grant Medicaid
- Cutting Medicaid for Seniors & People with Disabilities (State Fact Sheets) [Families USA]
- The National Council on Aging statement – http://www.ncoa.org/press-room/press-release/medicaid-cuts-represent-an.html
- Medicaid Block Grant Would Shift Cost to States [Center on Budget and Policy Priorities]
- Why Medicaid Matters to Medicare Beneficiaries and Their Families [Center for Medicare Advocacy]
- Ryan’s Rx for Medicaid Means Millions More Uninsured or Underinsured Seniors, People with Disabilities, and Children [Center on Budget and Policy Priorities Off the Charts Blog]
- Excerpts from the “Path to Prosperity” 2012 budget proposal — http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Stories/2011/April/05/Ryan-GOP-Budget-Health-Care-Documents.aspx
- Understanding Rep. Ryan’s Plan for Medicare — http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Stories/2011/April/05/ryan-plan-for-medicare-vouchers-vs-premium-support.aspx
- House Budget Committee — A Path to Prosperity – http://budget.house.gov/fy2012budget/
