Republican Explains Potential Changes to Medicaid
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
GOP Representative Austin Scott of Georgia explained a potential change House Republicans could make to Medicaid during an interview on Fox Business' Mornings With Maria.
Newsweek reached out to House Speaker Mike Johnson for comment via email.
Why It Matters
More than 80 million Americans are currently enrolled in Medicaid, a government program providing health care to lower income individuals. President Donald Trump has said he would not cut the program, but some Republicans in Congress are eyeing cuts, setting up a potential intraparty battle over the matter.
What to Know
Scott said House Republicans have been discussing a potential change to Medicaid expansion.
Currently, states that have enacted Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act receive a 90 percent federal matching rate, known as the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP). This means the federal government takes on 90 percent of those costs, while the state governments take on 10 percent.
Republicans are considering lowering the FMAP, which would shift more the funding to the states, Scott told Fox Business anchor Maria Bartiromo on Monday.
Representative Austin Scott speaks with reporters in Washington, D.C. on October 23, 2023.
Representative Austin Scott speaks with reporters in Washington, D.C. on October 23, 2023.
JULIA NIKHINSON/AFP via Getty Images
"When the Dems expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, they made that percentage match 90-10, so the federal government is paying 90 percent of the Medicaid expansion," Scott said. "What we have talked about is moving that 90 percent level of the expansion back to the more traditional levels of 50 to approximately 80 percent, instead of the 90-10."
He said "nobody would be kicked off Medicaid" as long as governors continued to fund the program.
"We are talking about the state governments paying a small percentage increase in their share of the Medicaid costs of their citizens," he said.
Any efforts to cut Medicaid funding would likely be met with opposition from Democrats, but some Republicans as well. A dozen centrist Republicans wrote a letter to House Republican leaders last week indicating they would "not support a final reconciliation bill that includes any reduction in Medicaid coverage for vulnerable populations."
What People Are Saying
Senator Ruben Gallego, an Arizona Democrat, on X: "Austin and the Republicans know that states have automatic triggers if the federal match falls below 90 percent they will kick off the working poor from Medicaid. 100 of thousands of Arizona families would lose Medicaid coverage."
Dr. Michelle Au, an anesthesiologist and Democratic Georgia state Representative, on X: "The 9 to 1 federal match applies to states that fully expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. Congressional Republicans know states can't cover the same number of patients if this federal match is cut. It also allows them to blame governors for the cuts Congress makes."
What Happens Next
House leadership have not formally announced any plans to change Medicaid. Congress is expected to continue working on Trump's legislation, which is expected to include tax cut extensions, as well as potential spending cuts.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Forbes
27 minutes ago
- Forbes
Crypto Surges After Trump Sways Republicans To His Stablecoin Bills
Several cryptocurrencies and stocks backed by the industry jumped Wednesday, as regulatory optimism stirred among investors after President Donald Trump said most Republican detractors would advance the GENIUS Act and other pro-crypto legislation in the House. Thirteen Republicans voted against a motion to advance three pro-crypto bills, 12 of whom Trump said ... More would now vote differently. Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved The price of bitcoin returned above $119,000 Wednesday morning after increasing by 1.5%, while the values of other cryptocurrencies, including Ether (5.9%), XRP (2.4%), Solana (4.8%) and Binance's BNB (1.9%) rose over the last 24 hours. Trump, writing in a Truth Social post late Tuesday, said he had a 'short discussion' with 11 of 12 Republicans who voted Tuesday against advancing the GENIUS Act, the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act and the Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act in the House, saying they 'agreed' to vote in favor of the bills Wednesday. Shares of stablecoin issuer Circle rose 4% in premarket trading, returning most losses from trading on Tuesday, adding to increases for Coinbase (1.1%), BitMine (17%), SharpLink (15%) and Bit Digital (5%). Whether the three bills advance in the House. Trump noted Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., joined his meeting with the House Republicans and 'looks forward to taking the vote as early as possible.' Key Background Trump has pushed the pro-crypto legislation in recent weeks, writing on Truth Social Tuesday that 'ALL REPUBLICANS' should 'VOTE YES.' House Republicans named the week of July 14 'Crypto Week' as they voted on bills they claimed would make the U.S. the 'crypto capital of the world.' The GENIUS Act would establish the first set of federal regulations for stablecoin issuers, while the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act establishes which agency regulates certain digital assets, and the Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act prohibits the Federal Reserve from issuing a central bank digital currency. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., said she voted against the procedural motion Tuesday because Johnson did not allow House members to submit amendments. She argued the GENIUS Act did not include a ban on a central bank digital currency, despite the Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act explicitly doing so. Democrats previously expressed concerns over the bills and Trump's dealings with the cryptocurrency industry, including his ties to World Liberty Financial, which issued the stablecoin USD1. Several House Democrats called for the Treasury Department to release documents related to an investigation into WLF and Trump-branded meme coins, alleging possible bribery, corruption and conflicts of interest. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., argued the GENIUS Act's original text would 'supercharge Donald Trump's corruption.' Further Reading Forbes Trump Says Most House GOP Holdouts Have Agreed To Back His Crypto Bills—What To Know By Sara Dorn
The Hill
28 minutes ago
- The Hill
Here's how states can cushion the blow of Trump's ‘big, beautiful' bill
The 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act' is being touted as a big step in efficiency and economic growth. For those of us who have worked with government for years, we know at the core of civic tech is a simple idea: When government builds programs with real humans in mind, we get systems that are more trusted, more effective and, ultimately, more efficient. But this bill is a step in the wrong direction — instead of streamlining government services, it strips them away. According to the Congressional Budget Office, an estimated 10 million people will stop receiving Medicaid and approximately 2 million people will be prevented from receiving food assistance through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP. Low-income families will be disproportionately impacted even if they did everything right — worked hard, played by the rules, and struggled to make ends meet. The question now is how states can implement these new policies in a way that does the least amount of harm for people who rely on critical government services. The civic technology community has been working for more than decade to make government work better through the use of digital technology, from simplified applications to making flexible cash available to families. As CEO of Code for America, I have seen first-hand the importance of implementation — not just policy — in shaping the lives of everyday people. In our work with red states and blue states alike, we've learned — and demonstrated — that it is possible to design government services that work better, cost less and deliver improved outcomes for people — something everyone can stand behind. In the coming months, states will have to grapple with new paperwork requirements, increased caseloads and less federal funding support. Even in this moment of policy uncertainty, states have the power to choose implementation approaches that uphold human dignity while achieving genuine efficiency. This is the better way forward. One that sees the people behind the paperwork and designs for them, with empathy rather than as obstacles to overcome. First, to improve cost savings, states should proactively review and, when possible, renew people eligible for Medicaid. Like any program with eligibility criteria, there is a renewal process for people to continue to receive Medicaid. However, this process is often burdensome and complex, causing people to be cut off from benefits and having to re-apply. Re-enrollment is more time consuming and expensive than a regular renewal, leaving state administrators, caseworkers and clients with more work. Instead, states like Minnesota and Colorado have found success with 'ex parte' renewals, a process by which a state automatically renews benefits using existing, available data. In Minnesota, 'ex parte' renewals reduced the time it took for caseworkers to process a renewal from 70 minutes to 11 minutes per case. And in Colorado, this process has saved caseworkers more than 200 hours every month — an estimated $66 million in cost savings for the state. Second, states should design applications that are simple, use plain language and are mobile-friendly. When the federal government expanded the Child Tax Credit during the pandemic, the IRS worked quickly to automate its delivery by leveraging existing data instead of manually processing applications for 60 million children. For families who didn't qualify for automatic benefit delivery, a free, simplified tax filing tool called GetCTC helped nearly 200,000 families claim a collective $685 million. The tool created an accessible front door by asking simple questions to collect only the data required by the IRS. The whole process could be completed on a mobile device in less than 15 minutes. States shouldn't overlook accessible, scalable solutions that are cost-effective and efficient. Technology solutions don't have to be expensive or flashy to work. Something as simple as text message reminders can have a profound impact by reducing administrative burdens and saving caseworkers valuable time. For example, Louisiana developed LA'MESSAGE, a text message reminder service across four benefit programs: Medicaid, SNAP, Women, Infants and Children and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. The state used text messaging to send reminders and guidance to benefit recipients at key points throughout the enrollment and renewal process. This led to a 37 percent increase in renewals for SNAP and 67 percent increase in renewals for Medicaid. In Boulder County, Colo., state agencies used text messaging reminders to reduce missed interviews — one of the most common reasons for benefit denials — by 10 percent. This meant caseworkers made fewer calls with no answer and received fewer calls to reschedule missed interviews. The work isn't always easy, but it's worth doing. Every simplified application, every automated renewal, every text reminder that helps someone keep their healthcare is a victory. At a time when trusting institutions feels fragile, these acts of service matter more than ever. Because when we build government services that actually serve people, we don't just create programs — we restore faith in the possibility that our institutions can be a force for good in people's lives. This is the way we transform not just government, but democracy itself. And we will continue to work toward nothing less.
The Hill
28 minutes ago
- The Hill
Watch live: House progressives give remarks on 2026 priorities
Lawmakers in the Congressional Progressive Caucus will brief reporters Wednesday morning on top priorities ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. From sweeping cuts to Medicaid and food assistance programs in the newly signed ' big, beautiful bill ' to how the legislation will affect the national debt in years to come to fractures within the GOP over spending and the Trump administration's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files to backlash over President Trump's crackdown on immigration, Democrats have been racking up ways to target vulnerable Republicans in next year's races. The press conference is scheduled to begin at 9:15 a.m. EDT. Watch the live video above.
