Context:

House Republicans have introduced a plan that aims to save $880 billion over a decade by making significant cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act, potentially leaving 8.6 million people uninsured. The proposal, part of a broader bill to implement President Trump’s domestic agenda, avoids the most drastic Medicaid cuts demanded by ultraconservatives but includes measures like increased paperwork and work requirements for poor, childless adults. While some moderate Republicans support the plan to protect their constituents, Democrats strongly oppose it, warning it would severely impact vulnerable populations. The bill also targets states funding health coverage for undocumented immigrants, proposing funding cuts unless they eliminate such programs. Additional changes include increased co-payments for Medicaid beneficiaries above the poverty line and restrictions on Medicaid funding for Planned Parenthood and gender-affirming care for minors.

Dive Deeper:

• The House Republican proposal seeks to save $880 billion over ten years, primarily by altering Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act, leading to an estimated 8.6 million people losing insurance coverage according to the Congressional Budget Office.

• The bill introduces a work requirement for Medicaid recipients who are poor, childless adults, mandating 80 hours of work per month to maintain coverage, echoing a previous policy briefly implemented in Arkansas.

• Democrats have criticized the bill for threatening healthcare access for millions, potentially causing hospital closures and rising premiums, while Republicans argue the changes are necessary for fiscal savings and efficiency.

• Significant changes include increased paperwork and verification for Medicaid beneficiaries, which could result in 2.3 million people losing coverage due to stricter income and residency checks.

• The legislation proposes freezing state taxes on healthcare providers and reducing federal support for states that offer health coverage to undocumented immigrants, impacting states like California and New York.

• Additional provisions include higher co-payments for Medicaid beneficiaries above the federal poverty line and restrictions on funding for providers offering abortion services, directly affecting Planned Parenthood.

• The bill also proposes rescinding environmental regulations from the Biden era, increasing federal revenues through higher gas taxes, and altering Obamacare marketplace enrollment processes to tighten restrictions on income verification and immigrant access.