WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Wednesday that Medicaid is not on the chopping block, after House Republicans passed a budget resolution to enact the president’s agenda of tax and spending cuts.

“We’re not going to touch it,” Trump said. “Now, we are going to look for fraud.”

What You Need To Know

  • President Donald Trump said Wednesday that Medicaid is not on the chopping block

  • House Republicans passed a budget resolution to enact the president’s agenda of tax and spending cuts Tuesday 

  • Democrats have been sounding the alarm about potential Medicaid cuts

  • Every House Republican voted for the measure, except Rep. Thomas Massie of Crescent Springs, who said it would make the deficit worse

The House Republican plan includes cutting $880 billion in spending overseen by the House Energy and Commerce Committee, the panel that has responsibility for the Medicaid program.

Democrats, including Gov. Andy Beshear and Rep. Morgan McGarvey of Louisville, have been sounding the alarm about potential Medicaid cuts.

“If you are one of the 1.4 million people in the commonwealth who gets health insurance through kynect, Republicans are coming for your health care,” McGarvey said Tuesday on the House floor.  

Every House Republican voted for the measure, except Rep. Thomas Massie of Crescent Springs, who said it would make the deficit worse.

“Despite the lies promoted by House Democrats, who have speculated where cuts will be made, we have no intentions of gutting Medicaid or other vital programs," Rep. Hal Rogers, R-Somerset, said in a statement Wednesday. "However, we are on a mission to cut waste, fraud and abuse of taxpayer dollars so that we can protect the future of programs like Medicaid for years to come."

Jason Bailey, executive director of the nonpartisan Kentucky Center for Economic Policy, said Medicaid is essential to Kentucky’s health care infrastructure.

“That covers one in three Kentuckians, including about half of children, seniors in nursing homes, people with disabilities, low-wage workers,” he said. “It's a huge part of our health care system. It helps keep rural hospitals open, health clinics open.”

In an interview with Fox Business, Rep. Andy Barr, R-Lexington, said "work-capable adults need to get off of the taxpayer rolls and they need to get into private health insurance in private employment."

In response, Bailey said many people cannot afford private insurance and Medicaid is critical to supporting workers whose employers won’t provide health care.

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