The Continuing Resolution that passed the House and Senate on March 15th (H.R. 1968) will make huge cuts to Medicaid - $880 billion - while giving tax cuts to the wealthy and corporations.

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities said, “The ideas they are considering are harmful, both in the magnitude of cuts and because they would cause people to lose health coverage and shift massive costs to states.

“Medicaid covers 72 million people nationwide: 2 in 5 of all U.S. births; 2 in 5 children; 1 in 6 non-elderly adults; 2 in 5 non-elderly adults with a disability; 1 in 4 people with SUD or mental illness; 3 in 5 nursing facility residents.

“The way in which this will be achieved is to make Medicaid cuts with an array of new rules, solely aimed at making it harder to meet the eligible criteria. Some of these include new work requirements, reductions in Medicaid payments to providers, restricting provider’s taxes, and limiting state directed payments.

“The Affordable Care Act (ACA) is also under attack from these provisions. Some of these proposals will directly and immediately reduce the number of people who receive Medicaid, which is how the policies save money. Some policies take aim at the ACA-Medicaid expansion and would achieve many of the same goals as it would if the ACA were repealed.

“These cuts could push states, which likely will be unable to absorb these new costs, to cut funding for other state programs and services or cut Medicaid eligibility, benefits, provider payments of some combination of these.” (https://www.cbpp.org) (3/26/25)

The irony in all of this is the goal of using these gained monies on one side of the ledger and place it on the other side to give massive tax cuts to the wealthiest and corporations. So, for those who think this is about cutting costs and reducing the deficit, think again. The deficit will actually go up by trillions if this plan goes forward.

The Committee for Responsible Federal Budget says it this way: “The President signed a Continuing Resolution that runs through September 30, 2025. The next few years will include several predictable fiscal policy deadlines that will force congressional action. Many of the deadlines could bring additional costs if Congress acts irresponsibly, or they could present an opportunity for Congress to reduce deficits”. (https://www.crfb.org) (3/28/25).

So, it would seem that there is time in which the American People can make our voices heard and change the course of history before it’s too late.