House Budget Bill Is a "Giant Leap Backward" for American Families’ Health And Economic Security

On Thursday, May 10, the House of Representatives is expected to vote on a so-called “budget reconciliation” bill that, among other things, substantially cuts support for the Medicaid program and key provisions of the Affordable Care Act. The following is the statement of Ron Pollack, Executive Director of the health consumer organization Families USA, about this development:

“In its excessive zeal to preserve tax breaks for the very wealthy, House Republicans plan to decimate funding for programs that give a helping hand to moderate- and low-income families. In order to protect the well-being of the wealthy, they would:

• End help to states that do the best job of finding uninsured low-income children and getting them into health care programs. 
  
  
• Wipe out a new Prevention Fund, created by the Affordable Care Act, that helps women get mammograms and helps children get screened for diabetes.
  
  
• Repeal rules ensuring that states don’t cut people off of the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and Medicaid as families continue to struggle economically while our economy recovers.
  
  
• Halt funding to states to set up new, more consumer-friendly marketplaces for health insurance.
  
  
• Strip protections for families receiving tax credits used to buy health insurance under the Affordable Care Act.
  
  
• Slash benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly food stamps) that ensure low-income families are able put food on the table.
  
  
• Eliminate the Social Services Block Grant, which funds child care, Meals on Wheels, and other important community services for low-income and disabled Americans.

"These examples show how the House Republican proposal takes a giant leap backward for American families’ health and economic security.

“A clear illustration of the short-sighted nature of the proposed cutbacks is the proposed elimination of bonus funds paid to states that do a good job signing up eligible, low-income, uninsured children for Medicaid and CHIP.

“While the Affordable Care Act has ended discrimination against children with pre-existing conditions, too many hard-working parents still struggle to afford the cost of health insurance for their children. Help is on the way from the Affordable Care Act in 2014, but today, millions of children remain uninsured. Every child who is eligible for safety net coverage—because their parents work hard yet earn low wages—should be enrolled. It makes no sense to cut a program that encourages states go the extra mile to find and enroll eligible children and earn a federal bonus.

“Instead, the Republican budget proposal tells states ‘never mind’—we would rather continue the excessive tax breaks for the very wealthy at the expense of uninsured children.

“Although the elimination of these state bonus funds saves precious little money, it would result in many low-income kids remaining uninsured and unable to see a doctor. In the long run, this short-sighted policy will cost our country more money and cause more children to be uninsured. It is yet another sign that Republican legislators are willing to harm the people most in need of help while they coddle those who need the least help in this country.”

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Families USA is the national organization for health care consumers. It is nonprofit and nonpartisan and advocates for high-quality, affordable health care for all Americans.

1201 New York Avenue NW, Suite 1100 · Washington, DC 20005
202-628-3030 · Email: info@familiesusa.org · www.familiesusa.org