Support for Federal Medicaid Reform
As Congress moves toward making significant changes to the federal Medicaid program, Congressman Riley Moore of West Virginia expressed support. Moore said the changes being considered maintain services for those who need the health insurance safety net while reducing spending.
The proposals do institute more rigorous requirements that are anticipated to cause millions of people to drop their Medicaid coverage.
“There’s not going to be some new calculation for state government where they’re going to have to put in more money because there’s been a cut at the federal level. So I think this is a really nuanced and perfect solution.”
Key Provisions in the Proposed Legislation
- Community Engagement Requirements: At least 80 hours per month of work, education, or service for able-bodied adults without dependents.
Moore clarified: “Those work requirements, by the way, is not requirement that you just have a job, but it could be that you are looking for a job, you are in training, you’re taking courses, you’re making an effort to find employment.” - Twice-Yearly Eligibility Verification: People would have to verify their Medicaid eligibility twice a year instead of once.
- Stricter Income Checks: More rigorous income verification for those enrolling in Affordable Care Act health plans.
- Limit on Provider Taxes: The bill
limits taxes that states charge medical providers as a roundabout way to draw more federal Medicaid funds.
The U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee
started consideration of the legislation on Tuesday afternoon.
Budget Impact
Preliminary estimates from the Congressional Budget Office show the reconciliation bill’s health provisions, including Medicaid, would:
- Trim $715 billion in federal health spending over 10 years
- Increase the number of uninsured by at least 8.6 million by 2034
The Republican majority is
trying to find $1.5 trillion in spending cuts to help offset the cost of extending President Donald Trump’s 2017 tax cuts.
