Rep. Waxman Criticizes Draconian Republican Medicaid Cuts

“The Ryan proposal to slash over $770 billion from Medicaid and turn the program into a block grant would do irreparable harm”, said Rep. Waxman.  “Medicaid is a critical safety net program for our seniors, children, and the disabled.” 

“Just last month Republican Governor Haley Barbour recommended cutting Medicaid by $90 billion, which many experts thought was extreme,” continued Rep. Waxman.  “The House Republican budget would cut Medicaid by $771 – over eight times more.  Medicaid could not survive these brutal cuts.” 

In testimony before the Energy and Commerce Committee March 1, 2011, Governor Barbour said:

“Give us a block grant with total flexibility and we will say limit the increase in our FMAP payment to half of the national average, whatever it is, and we will take that in a heartbeat.” 

This translates into a $90 billion cut to the Medicaid program over 10 years.  Instead, the House Republicans are proposing to cut the program by over $770 billion, a difference of over $682 billion.  Compared to the original proposal from Rep. Paul Ryan and former OMB director Alice Rivlin, the Republican Medicaid cut is 3.5 times larger.