Trump’s Austere Budget Calls for Radical Cuts to Medicaid

WASHINGTON, May 23 -- The National Health Law Program issued the following news release:

Austerity knows no bounds with the Trump administration. After loudly touting the so-called American Health Care Act (AHCA) and its $839 billion in cuts to Medicaid, the president's FY 2018 budget includes more than $600 billion in additional cuts to Medicaid, which provides health care to more than 70 million low-income individuals, as well as other entitlement programs.

Trump's budget also advocates for massive cuts to federal entitlement programs that provide financial assistance to tens of millions of low-income individuals and families. Beyond targeting Medicaid, Trump's budget calls for cuts in the hundreds of billions to nutritional assistance and other welfare programs. Further, the budget excludes Planned Parenthood from participating in any HHS programs, jeopardizing women's access to critical health services. At the same time, Trump's budget seeks a 10 percent increase in military spending and several billion dollars more for a "border security wall."

"In times of great economic inequalities, the president's budget is wildly out-of-touch, cynical and cold-hearted," National Health Law Program (NHeLP) Executive Director Elizabeth G. Taylor said. "Medicaid, regardless of political rhetoric, is a popular and effective health care program for low-income individuals and families and provides quality care to more than 30 million children. The program is integral to health care providers, professionals and hospitals who provide care to Medicaid beneficiaries. These cuts, if enacted, would harm tens of millions of people, and to what end? Shrinking the federal government is not a sufficient justification when millions will suffer."

Managing Attorney of the DC Office Mara Youdelman said, "This budget is beyond nonsensical; it is an unabashed attack on Medicaid and other invaluable safety net programs that are making our country fairer and more just. It goes beyond slashing the funding of these critical programs. It allows states to limit access to Medicaid and other safety net programs, by adding work requirements and other obstacles to obtaining health care, or by making it more difficult to access food assistance through SNAP and benefits through Social Security's Supplemental Security Income program."

Youdelman continued, "These cuts and actions would harm large swaths of the country, many of the very same people who staunchly support the president. It undercuts President Trump's campaign promise of not yanking health care from people and his promise to take care of those who have been left behind. This budget would do exactly that - limit health care for tens of millions of people from all walks of life."

Please contact the NHeLP Communications Director Jeremy Leaming at leaming@healthlaw.org or 202-552-5176 for further comment regarding the Trump budget and its adverse impact on social safety net programs.