WASHINGTON — Democrats on Capitol Hill are touting an analysis by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) that suggests the only way Republicans can meet the targets in their budget plan is by cuts to Medicaid, the health care program for lower-income Americans.

What You Need To Know

  • An analysis by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office suggests House Republicans can't meet their budget goal without Medicaid cuts 

  • House Republicans' plan calls for slashing $880 billion over 10 years in spending overseen by the House Energy and Commerce Committee

  • Rep. Brett Guthrie, R-Bowling Green, is chair of the committee 

  • Rep. Hal Rogers, R-Somerset, said in a statement this week that Congress must protect programs like Medicaid

House Democrats had requested the analysis. 

The budget plan by House Republicans, as written, makes no mention of Medicaid cuts. Instead, it calls for slashing $880 billion over 10 years in spending overseen by the House Energy and Commerce Committee, the committee that has jurisdiction for Medicaid.

The CBO analysis shows if cuts to Medicaid and two other programs ruled off-limits by Republicans are taken off the table, only $381 billion in spending overseen by the committee remains — not enough to reach the $880 billion cost-cutting target.

“Of this amount, only $135 billion is available for cuts after excluding key programs that are funded by collections and fees, meaning they are budget neutral,” House Budget Committee Democrats said in a news release. “That is less than one-sixth of the $880 billion in cuts required by the Republican budget resolution, confirming that the only way to meet their target for the Energy and Commerce Committee is through deep, damaging cuts to Medicaid.”

Rep. Brett Guthrie, R-Bowling Green, is chair of the committee. He spoke with Spectrum News on Tuesday, before the CBO released its analysis.

“If you are qualified for Medicaid, then you shouldn’t worry," Guthrie said, when asked if Kentuckians should worry about losing Medicaid coverage. "If you are able-bodied and you can work and you're getting free health care because you choose not to work, then you're going to have to go to work. I think most Kentuckians expect people, if they are going to get something for free, to work for it.”

Rep. Hal Rogers, R-Somerset, said in a statement this week that as President Donald Trump's administration seeks to slash federal spending, Congress must protect programs like Medicaid.

“Across my 33 counties in southern and eastern Kentucky, approximately half of my constituents receive Medicaid benefits," Rogers said in the statement. "I have no intention of gutting Medicaid, Medicare or Social Security. Those programs are critically important to people who need them, and those who are working but cannot afford health care.”

Spectrum News reached out to Guthrie’s staff in the House Energy and Commerce Committee for comment on the CBO report.

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