June 22, 2017      6:06 PM

Cruz holds out on health plan as Cornyn defends process; advocates in Texas unimpressed

Medicaid advocates back home pan the plan while TPPF is also unhappy with it

The Senate version of a health care plan, unveiled today, appears to have squeezed the cost out of Obamacare and put more control of Medicaid and health insurance in the hands of states.

Such a choice may win accolades from some Texas lawmakers, who have long lobbied they could do more, and better, with block grants, but it is not well received by those guarding Medicaid. People like Anne Dunkelberg of the Center for Public Policy Priorities call Medicaid a lifeline to affordable health care coverage rather than a welfare program that needs to be constrained by work requirements, drug testing and time limits, as noted in this recent survey.

So, it won’t be surprising that Dunkelberg and her allies are opposed to the Senate’s plan to repeal and replace Obamacare: ending Medicaid expansion; minimizing insurance benefit plans; and capping the amount of money Medicaid spends on each Medicaid enrollee. Dunkelberg sees a plan that cuts deeper and hits harder than the US House’s proposed plan.

By Kimberly Reeves

Copyright June 22, 2017, Harvey Kronberg, www.quorumreport.com, All rights are reserved