Medicaid cuts
May. 12th, 2025 02:43 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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thisfinecrewIf (like me and my adult offspring) you owe paperwork to renew your Medicaid, you should get it in right away. And we're going to need to confirm eligibility twice a year rather than every other year.
Specific to Massachusetts/MassHealth, from the Patch:
https://patch.com/massachusetts/across-ma/republicans-unveil-house-bill-affecting-1-7m-ma-medicaid-recipients
“In no uncertain terms, millions of Americans will lose their health care coverage,” said Rep. Frank Pallone of New Jersey, the top Democrat on the panel. “Hospitals will close, seniors will not be able to access the care they need, and premiums will rise for millions of people if this bill passes.”
"Instead of ripping away health care from millions of people, Republicans should crack down on waste in Medicare Advantage," U.S Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts said. "Tactics like 'upcoding' — when for-profit insurance companies exaggerate medical problems to pad their profits — cost taxpayers billions.
"That's real waste."
According to data from KFF (https://www.kff.org/medicaid/issue-brief/10-things-to-know-about-medicaid/ ), Medicaid and CHIP (Children’s Health Insurance Program), of Medicaid recipients nationwide:
82 percent are children living below the poverty level;
62 percent are people living in nursing homes;
41 percent are pregnant women giving birth;
39 percent are children;
31 percent are non-elderly adults with disabilities;
19 percent are Medicare recipients.
The politics ahead are uncertain. More than a dozen House Republicans have told Johnson and GOP leaders they will not support cuts to the health care safety net programs that residents back home depend on. Trump himself has shied away from a repeat of his first term, vowing there will be no cuts to Medicaid.
Medicaid is a valued safety net program, according to a recent KFF poll that showed 77 percent of Americans and 84 percent of Medicaid recipients view it favorably. Nearly half (46 percent) and two-thirds of Medicaid enrollees believe the federal government isn’t spending enough on the program, according to the poll.
To be eligible for Medicaid, there would be new "community engagement requirements" of at least 80 hours per month of work, education or service for able-bodied adults without dependents. People would also have to verify their eligibility to be in the program twice a year, rather than just once.
This is likely to lead to more churn in the program and present hurdles for people to stay covered, especially if they have to drive far to a local benefits office to verify their income in person. But Republicans say it'll ensure that the program is administered to those who qualify for it.
Many states have expanded their Medicaid rosters thanks to federal incentives, but the legislation would cut a 5 percent boost that was put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic. Federal funding to the states for immigrants who have not shown proof of citizenship would be prohibited.
There would be a freeze on the so-called provider tax that some states use to help pay for large portions of their Medicaid programs. The extra tax often leads to higher payments from the federal government, which critics say is a loophole that creates abuse in the system.
The Associated Press contributed reporting.
I will certainly be writing to my Senator, Elizabeth Warren, to thank her for continuing to protect disabled and poor people.
Specific to Massachusetts/MassHealth, from the Patch:
https://patch.com/massachusetts/across-ma/republicans-unveil-house-bill-affecting-1-7m-ma-medicaid-recipients
“In no uncertain terms, millions of Americans will lose their health care coverage,” said Rep. Frank Pallone of New Jersey, the top Democrat on the panel. “Hospitals will close, seniors will not be able to access the care they need, and premiums will rise for millions of people if this bill passes.”
"Instead of ripping away health care from millions of people, Republicans should crack down on waste in Medicare Advantage," U.S Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts said. "Tactics like 'upcoding' — when for-profit insurance companies exaggerate medical problems to pad their profits — cost taxpayers billions.
"That's real waste."
According to data from KFF (https://www.kff.org/medicaid/issue-brief/10-things-to-know-about-medicaid/ ), Medicaid and CHIP (Children’s Health Insurance Program), of Medicaid recipients nationwide:
82 percent are children living below the poverty level;
62 percent are people living in nursing homes;
41 percent are pregnant women giving birth;
39 percent are children;
31 percent are non-elderly adults with disabilities;
19 percent are Medicare recipients.
The politics ahead are uncertain. More than a dozen House Republicans have told Johnson and GOP leaders they will not support cuts to the health care safety net programs that residents back home depend on. Trump himself has shied away from a repeat of his first term, vowing there will be no cuts to Medicaid.
Medicaid is a valued safety net program, according to a recent KFF poll that showed 77 percent of Americans and 84 percent of Medicaid recipients view it favorably. Nearly half (46 percent) and two-thirds of Medicaid enrollees believe the federal government isn’t spending enough on the program, according to the poll.
To be eligible for Medicaid, there would be new "community engagement requirements" of at least 80 hours per month of work, education or service for able-bodied adults without dependents. People would also have to verify their eligibility to be in the program twice a year, rather than just once.
This is likely to lead to more churn in the program and present hurdles for people to stay covered, especially if they have to drive far to a local benefits office to verify their income in person. But Republicans say it'll ensure that the program is administered to those who qualify for it.
Many states have expanded their Medicaid rosters thanks to federal incentives, but the legislation would cut a 5 percent boost that was put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic. Federal funding to the states for immigrants who have not shown proof of citizenship would be prohibited.
There would be a freeze on the so-called provider tax that some states use to help pay for large portions of their Medicaid programs. The extra tax often leads to higher payments from the federal government, which critics say is a loophole that creates abuse in the system.
The Associated Press contributed reporting.
I will certainly be writing to my Senator, Elizabeth Warren, to thank her for continuing to protect disabled and poor people.
