Republicans Struggle to Find Solution to Health Care Issue in New Bill

Strategic Insights -

As Congress debates the GOP's healthcare package, a key issue continues to stall progress: how to shrink Medicaid without harming Americans or the hospitals that provide care. Republicans are working to devise a solution to the healthcare problem their proposal has created, but it's a daunting task. Estimates suggest that under the current bill, millions of Americans could lose health coverage.

Key Takeaways:

  • The House-passed bill achieves $1.5 trillion in savings overall, with $1.2 trillion of it coming from changes to healthcare, including Medicaid.
  • The Medicaid program has expanded to serve 80 million Americans, with Republicans aiming to shrink it back to a smaller size covering mainly poorer women and children.
  • Democrats oppose the bill, with Rep. Jamie Herrera Beutler saying Republicans are "trying to take away healthcare from tens of millions of Americans."
  • The Senate proposal goes deeper in Medicaid cuts than the House version, with some senators expressing concerns that this could be problematic.
  • Republicans are considering creating a rural hospital fund to help offset lost Medicaid money, with some senators proposing funding amounts ranging from $15 billion to $100 billion.
  • The House and Senate versions of the bill both include a new $35 per-service co-pay for Medicaid recipients.
  • A new analysis from the White House Council of Economic Advisers estimates the package would result in up to $2.3 trillion in deficit reduction over 10 years, a contrasting view from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, which estimates an increase in deficits by $2.8 trillion over the next decade.

Statistics:

  • 80 million Americans receive health insurance coverage through Medicaid.
  • $1.5 trillion in savings is expected from the House-passed bill, with $1.2 trillion of it coming from healthcare changes.
  • Up to $2.3 trillion in deficit reduction is estimated over 10 years, according to the White House Council of Economic Advisers.
  • An estimated $2.8 trillion increase in deficits is predicted over the next decade, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

Sources:

  • WASHINGTON (AP) — (Associated Press)
  • (House-passed bill)
  • (White House Council of Economic Advisers)
  • (Catholic Health Association of the United States)
  • (American Hospital Association)