FierceHealthcare

by Leslie Small
2/22/17

The changes to Medicaid funding recently proposed by Republicans could have serious consequences for vulnerable populations and state budgets alike, the leaders of five national advocacy organizations said on a press call Wednesday.

Howard Bedlin, the National Council on Aging’s vice president of public policy and advocacy, said he was “shocked” that such major changes to Medicaid were included at all in the GOP’s outline of policy proposals about how to replace the Affordable Care Act, given both are separate issues.

Regardless, the two Medicaid funding options floated by the GOP—block grants and per capita caps—“would lead to unprecedented cuts in Medicaid spending,” he said.

Thus, he and the other leaders on the call said they planned to urge governors attending the National Governor’s Association Winter Meeting to push Congress to reconsider the cuts.

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