Drew Altman

Only one small problem with this argument. Medicaid isn’t welfare. Beneficiaries - low income adults, children, people with disabilities, people who need long term care - get health insurance not cash. https://t.co/CRUU5yAxFz

The CBO scores of the Energy and Commerce Medicaid cuts. The big ones hit after the midterms, and some of the largest after ‘28.  Could affect current governors reactions. Could also be reversed depending on the election in ‘28.

In the break between populist and traditional R’s in the House they split the difference on Medicaid. No block grant or end to the  expansion but still huge cuts and work requirements driving the uninsured up. Similar tensions will emerge in the Senate: https://t.co/kCKUjjBLvI

The divisions that have always plagued efforts to expand coverage for the uninsured have resurfaced, with new talking points, in current efforts to cut federal funding for Medicaid expansion my latest column:   https://t.co/PvRdrj1gn1

The question to ask when the CBO score of new Medicaid work requirements comes out. Not are there real savings, there will be. Not even the impact on the uninsured. But, do the they produce new jobs people didn’t already have? With health benefits?

Not necessarily buying these estimates but...of the changes/cuts CBO has analyzed, almost the largest impact on the uninsured--3.8m--comes from the least discussed change, not extending the enhanced ACA tax credits. https://t.co/Bp32zzD1Ot

CBO can’t predict individual state responses to Medicaid cuts but says there would be significant coverage losses. Perhaps optimistically, “CBO expects that, on average, states would replace roughly half of the reduced funds with their own resources.” https://t.co/8Dzy1vOuDj

Increasingly viewed as partisan and captured by interests, can CDC and FDA lead in another pandemic? What if there was a biological attack? If they don’t who will? Will Americans just “do their own research” in a crisis? My latest: https://t.co/cNOf6GTuFe

Many doctors across the country have been advising their older and immunocompromised patients to wait until there is a new booster to get their next Covid shot. Now there may not be a new booster. https://t.co/EQxUiwXocx

Our new poll. Everyone — Dems, R’s, Independents — are against big Medicaid cuts. Not really surprising. What is: MAGA supporters are divided on cutting Medicaid. As Steve Bannon said: “lots of MAGAs on Medicaid”. https://t.co/dLJDBP2Gqf

Re-upping this column as how far Republicans go on Medicaid cuts gets real. In particular, whether they will cut or cap Medicaid expansion. Not exactly a prediction. Not, not a prediction either. https://t.co/4JamZPdHE2

About talk of Medicaid expansion enrollees getting more federal money than others, a reminder that they get insurance, not cash, and Dems in congress gave states a 90% match for expansion as an incentive to cover > uninsured after decades of states not able/willing to do it.

Some say Medicaid expansion diverts resources from other Medicaid enrollees. But that’s not true. Expansion states actually spend more per person on those other groups. Lots of reasons why some states spend more and less but it’s not expansion. Stay tuned for data from KFF.

Axios reports MAGA opposition to Medicaid cuts (https://t.co/hwNsE4qh65). I have written before, that’s why controversy over the cuts might cause Trump to walk away: https://t.co/4JamZPd9Ou

3 in 4 non-elderly adults on Medicaid have one or more chronic condition. R’s in Congress plan to cut Medicaid. RFKjr wants to tackle chronic illness. Maybe they should talk? https://t.co/qTWLqu2DK1

Medicaid has always been a counter cyclical program. It’s there for MORE people when the economy turns south. And often congress comes up with MORE money to help states through the rough patches. That’s the plan now, right?

There may be lots of significant changes hidden in the HHS reorg weeds. Is the AHRQ mission disappearing? Is prevention at CDC going away? What's crystal clear: big staffing cuts. What's a question: how it makes America healthier (again)?