There are numerous views on what impact the Senate changes will have on Medicaid.
On one side of the Senate Republican plan to repeal and replace Obamacare (the Affordable Care Act) are Democrats who claim that it will slash Medicaid spending. On the other side are Republicans who claim that the bill will increase Medicaid funding, according to Fox News in “Fact Check: Dem claims that Senate bill guts Medicaid ignore billions in new funding.”
Which side is right depends entirely on how you look at the issue. If the Senate bill passes and eventually becomes law, then Medicaid funding would increase by $71 billion by 2026. However, if the Senate bill does not become law and current law remains in place, then Medicaid funding would increase by $231 billion during the same time period.
Under either scenario, Medicaid funding increases.
The argument is over how much it should increase and whether any increases are enough to meet future costs.
In the current highly partisan climate, it can be difficult to understand what is going on, as politicians and the media discuss policy changes. For that reason, it is important to look carefully at the facts to determine what the real question is.
Reference: Fox News (June 27, 2017) “Fact Check: Dem claims that Senate bill guts Medicaid ignore billions in new funding.”
