Republicans, health experts push back on Democrats' Medicaid ‘scare tactics’
Even before the conflict over Medicaid subsidies that resulted in a month-and-a-half-long government shutdown, Democrats were already attacking Republicans over their reforms to the federal health insurance program, which has...
By Fox News · Fox News
Even before the conflict over Medicaid subsidies that resulted in a month-and-a-half-long government shutdown, Democrats were already attacking Republicans over their reforms to the federal health insurance program, which has expanded over many years. Democrats say the GOP's cuts were put in place to give tax breaks to the wealthy, and serve to raise people's premiums and kick them off their coverage. But Republicans, free-market health policy experts and a disability advocate argue these are "scare tactics" used to deceive the public about what Republicans are really trying to do to Medicaid. According to conservative health policy experts who spoke to Fox News Digital, Republican changes have done nothing to harm those whom Medicaid was originally intended for — people not expected to be in the labor market, such as individuals with disabilities, pregnant women, children and seniors. They argue the Medicaid reforms built into Trump's tax cuts have actually improved the federal healthcare program for those it is supposed to be serving. DEMOCRATIC LAWMAKERS REEL AFTER SENATE VOTES TO REOPEN GOVERNMENT: ‘REPUBLICAN-MADE HEALTHCARE CRISIS’ "The Working Families Tax Cuts increased oversight efforts as part of a larger package of Medicaid program integrity measures to more precisely serve the traditional Medicaid and the Medicaid Expansion populations," said Rep. Morgan Griffith, R-Va., who serves as chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health. "Progressive Democrats and their Congressional allies are desperate as they try to pan the Working Families Tax Cuts as devastating to the traditional Medicaid population, which is not true! The traditional Medicaid population, which includes expectant mothers, low-income seniors, children and individuals with disabilities, is not affected by our bill!" Stricter eligibility requirements — which experts who support the GOP’s approach told Fox News would ensure Medicaid dollars go to those they we…