Kate Bachelder: All the Trump Bill Does on Medicaid Is Try to Keep It Growing at 2 or 3% a Year, This Is Not a Medicaid Cut

RUSH TRANSCRIPT:
GIGOT: “Plexus really prevents some real harm. Kate, let me ask you the bigger complaint by the Democrats I is that and that mediate let’s be honest about thihis says this is the biggest cut to the safety net in American history. Especially with Medicaid and food stamps. Dissect that claim for us. “

BACHELDER: “It’s a large by absolute number because those programs have grown so enormous. Medicaid and out the share of the population on Medicaid is twice the rate of the poverty rate. The program is growing when thth fastest growing entitltlents. All this bill does on n dicaid is try tkeep Medicaid growing at two or 3% this is not a Medicaid cut Medicaid to spending is going to increase. Does that by making surere folks are eligible. Making sure fofos are working part-time at 20 hours a a ek. Pretty sensible reforms. The same on food stamps it tries to keep statat from duckinout of work requirements they have been trying to avoid. And make sure these benefits are going to people who are eligible for them. That narrative is totally kicked free of reality it actually will make some progress in getting those programs under control.”

GIGOT: “Just to be clear who’s going to lose a Medicaid coverage here? What kind of people?”

BACHELDER: “Probably look at the budget scorekeepers estimates half of their estimate is a folks were going to lose it you do not comply w wh the work requirement. That just means again they were not willing to work k volunteer or enter air engagagin education program for 80 hours a m mth. We also have estimates there’s a million illegal immigrants who should not be receceing Medicaid that willose coverage but also included in these numbers is a lot of assumptions there is more than a million folks who have other forms of the subsidized coverage who can go to the ObamaCare exchanges and by coverage there. We are talalk aboufolks who won’work. People folks w w are illegal immigrants or could go get other forms of subsidized coverage.”