During an interview aired on Wednesday’s broadcast of “PBS NewsHour,” Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE) said that cutting $880 billion from programs under the jurisdiction of the Energy and Commerce Committee would impact Medicaid “I was assured by the chairmen of both committees that are involved with us, as well as the leadership, like our Whip, Rep. Tom Emmer (R-MN), that the final numbers will look a lot more like the Senate numbers” and “They’re going to agree to something significantly less, we believe.” And “I believe most Republicans, at least the ones that I affiliate with, are looking at significantly less reductions in E&C, which is where Medicaid is at.”
Co-host Amna Nawaz asked, “[Y]ou did say, according to reports, there are no threats right now to the stability of Medicaid, which people asked about. Mathematically, sir, you know there’s no way to reach the target cuts that have been set in the budget by that committee other than touching Medicaid. It has to be touched in some way. So, how can you guarantee that the hundreds of thousands of people in Nebraska will not feel any impact to Medicaid?”
Bacon answered, “You’re right. If the final numbers are 880 billion out of E&C, I think you’re right, it would affect Medicaid. But I was assured by the chairmen of both committees that are involved with us, as well as the leadership, like our Whip, Rep. Tom Emmer (R-MN), that the final numbers will look a lot more like the Senate numbers. The Senate hasn’t agreed to these numbers, and they won’t. They’re going to agree to something significantly less, we believe. And so, I voted to move this forward and to create the negotiations between the House and the Senate. And I believe most Republicans, at least the ones that I affiliate with, are looking at significantly less reductions in E&C, which is where Medicaid is at.”
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