Overview
- The House GOP, which floated the idea Monday in reports confirmed by Axios, is exploring reductions in federal health spending to help pay for a supplemental that could reach $200 billion for Iran-related operations and immigration enforcement.
- One leading option would revive changes to Affordable Care Act cost-sharing reductions, the program that lowers deductibles and copays for low-income enrollees, which CBO says would save about $30–36 billion but leave roughly 300,000 more people uninsured each year.
- Lawmakers are also discussing Medicare steps such as paying the same rate for some services regardless of care setting and cracking down on Medicare Advantage upcoding, while avoiding for now a new round of Medicaid cuts after last year’s law.
- White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said she had not heard health cuts discussed in the West Wing, and House Budget Chair Jodey Arrington is talking up a 60 to 90 day push despite no bill text.
- Moderate Republicans and Democrats warn the tradeoff could raise premiums and out-of-pocket costs for marketplace customers and strain hospitals already hit by Medicaid reductions, leaving the plan’s path uncertain in an election year.