Understanding Republicans’ Proposed Cuts to Medicaid

KQED's Forum

KQED

Politics, News, News Commentary

4.6 • 656 Ratings

🗓️ 20 February 2025

⏱️ 57 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Republicans are looking to cut as much as $880 billion from Medicaid, a federal program that provides healthcare for 72 million Americans. Distinct from Medicare, which covers seniors, Medicaid includes coverage for low income people, the disabled, substance abuse programs, nursing home care, and the Affordable Care Act, among other kinds of care. Nearly half of all births in the U.S. are covered by Medicaid, and polls show enormous support for the program across political parties. Donald Trump has said that cuts to Medicaid are off the table, but congressional Republicans’ proposed budget to pay for the president’s signature $4.5 trillion dollar tax cut relies on massive cuts to the program. We’ll talk to experts about the future of Medicaid. Guests: Larry Levitt, executive vice president, Kaiser Family Foundation Joanne Kenen, journalist In-residence, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health Kristof Stremikis, director of market analysis and insight, California Health Care Foundation, independent nonprofit focused on improving healthcare for Californians Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, former administrator, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services; served as administrator during the Biden administration from 2021-2025 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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1:09.5	From KQED. From KQED. From KQED in San Francisco, I'm Alexis Madrigal.
1:24.7	We're talking Medicaid, a federal program administered by individual states that provides health
1:29.6	care coverage for 72 million Americans.
1:33.5	It's also massively popular.
1:35.0	A recent poll found 75% of Americans have a positive view of the program.
1:39.2	However, right now, House Republicans are proposing massive cuts as part of a budget package that would extend
1:45.8	and expand tax cuts for the wealthy.
1:48.6	Today we want to dig into Medicaid and how it's developed since it was created by legislation
1:53.1	in 1965.
1:54.1	How does it work and what would cuts to the program do?
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