House GOP drops some Medicaid cuts from reconciliation plan

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Roll Call

Posted May 6, 2025 at 10:47pm


Republicans will have to come up with alternative savings to make up for hundreds of billions of dollars in potential Medicaid cuts that GOP leaders appeared to rule out after meeting with moderates in Speaker Mike Johnson’s office Tuesday evening. Johnson, R-La., said leadership had ruled out two Medicaid policies that could go a long way toward meeting the Energy and Commerce Committee’s $880 billion, 10-year savings target but faced strong pushback from blue-state GOP centrists.

First, Johnson said the emerging package wouldn’t touch the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage, or FMAP, rate — the portion of state Medicaid costs borne by the federal government — for the Medicaid expansion population, which is currently 90 percent. Johnson also poured cold water over a provision that would implement per capita caps on Medicaid benefits for enrollees in expansion states, though he wasn’t quite as definitive on that front. “I think we’re ruling that out as well, but stay tuned,” he said.

At least one provision remains in the mix: new work requirements for healthy adults in states that expanded Medicaid to receive the 90 percent federal match, a key provision of the 2010 health care law. “That will be part of the bill, it always has been,” Johnson said on including work requirements.

The Congressional Budget Office has scored prior Medicaid work requirement proposals as saving over $100 billion — which would still leave Republicans substantially short of what they need.

Read more: https://rollcall.com/2025/05/06/house-gop-drops-some-medicaid-cuts-from-reconciliation-plan/