What does the Trump administration’s new Medicaid plan mean for States?
The Trump administration unveiled a new initiative this week, aimed at giving states more flexibility when it comes to their Medicaid programs. The key component of the plan – called the Healthy Adult Opportunity – is block grants, which are intended to allow states more freedom in distributing coverage along with cost-saving options.
Will Trump’s plan to cut Medicare benefits impact health care?
Trump’s health policy experts also argue that the plan for slowing “growth” in Medicare won’t impact benefits, but rather how providers like hospitals are paid.
What's in Trump's budget proposal for Medicare?
Trump's budget would reduce $451B in Medicare spending over 10 years. Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Sen. Chuck Schumer discuss the president’s budget proposal. President Donald Trump said he wouldn’t touch Medicare before pitching a budget plan that would do exactly that, along with steep cuts to Medicaid.
Will Trump's budget protect Medicare and Social Security?
His budgets have sought cuts. President Trump vowed Thursday that he “will protect Medicare and Social Security” — a promise akin to one he made as a candidate in 2016. But throughout his first term, he repeatedly tried to cut these programs in his proposed budgets.
How much will the Social Security cut?
In all, the cuts to Social Security amount to $25 billion over the next 10 years, cutting roughly $10 billion from the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program, which the administration says will be found through cutting down on fraud — a common conservative talking point.
How much is Medicare cut?
But $269 billion of that figure is reclassified under the Department of Health and Human Services, bringing the Medicare cuts to $575 billion. As Vox explained, the administration says it will achieve these cost reductions by targeting wasteful spending and provider payments and lowering prescription drug costs.
How much will Trump spend on Medicaid in 2020?
Over the next 10 years, Trump’s 2020 budget proposal aims to spend $1.5 trillion less on Medicaid — instead allocating $1.2 trillion in a block-grant program to states — $25 billion less on Social Security, and $845 billion less on Medicare (some of that is reclassified to a different department). Their intentions are to cut benefits ...
What are the changes to Medicaid and Social Security?
But when it comes to Trump’s proposed changes to Medicaid and Social Security, the intent is unambiguous: These are cuts to benefits. The 2020 budget’s Medicaid reforms include adding work requirements and repealing Medicaid expansion and one of the most successful policies within the Affordable Care Act.
Does Medicare Part D raise out of pocket costs?
Medicare Part D is the only area of these reforms that could raise out-of-pocket drug prices for some while lowering it for others. Otherwise, premiums, deductibles, and copays would largely be left unaffected. Unsurprisingly, the Federation of American Hospitals is not a fan of this part of Trump’s budget proposal.
Will Trump cut Medicare?
President Donald Trump’s 2020 budget breaks one of his biggest campaign promises to voters: that he would leave Medicaid, Social Security, and Medicare untouched. “I’m not going to cut Social Security like every other Republican and I’m not going to cut Medicare or Medicaid,” Trump told the Daily Signal, a conservative publication affiliated ...
Fact check: 'Record' job gains still leave the U.S. labor market in worse shape than Great Recession
On the last night of his party’s convention, President Trump bragged about “record” job gains in recent months, but the 9.1 million jobs he touts come with some qualifiers.
Trump usually includes new material in major speeches. Not tonight
President Trump spoke for roughly 70 minutes on Thursday, one of the longest convention speeches in modern history.
Trump speech missing several of his favorite talking points
While President Trump launched attack after attack on Joe Biden, he left out a number of his favorite topics of criticism in his acceptance speech.
Fact check: Trump claims Biden wants to 'close all charter schools.' That's false
"Biden also vowed to oppose school choice and close all charter schools, ripping away the ladder of opportunity for Black and Hispanic children," Trump claimed on Tuesday night.
Fact check: Trump repeats out-of-context Biden comment to mislead on police stance
President Trump, arguing that Americans wouldn't be safe under Joe Biden, repeated a claim Mike Pence made Wednesday, quoting the former vice president as saying, "Yes, absolutely," as a response to whether he'd broadly support cutting funding for law enforcement.
Fact check: Trump boasts of delivering PPE early in pandemic, doesn't mention ongoing shortages
"We shipped hundreds of millions of masks, gloves and gowns to our frontline health care workers.
Trump mentions Kenosha, not Jacob Blake
Midway through his speech Thursday, Donald Trump mentioned Kenosha, Wisconsin — but did not make mention of Jacob Blake, who was shot seven times in the back by the city's police.
How does a block grant waiver affect health insurance?
States with block grant waivers could deny coverage for prescription drugs, allow states to impose higher copayments on people in poverty , and waive standards for managed care plans (which many states use to provide Medicaid coverage).
How many people in Arkansas lost medicaid in 2018?
In Arkansas, over 18,000 Medicaid beneficiaries — almost 1 in 4 subject to the new rules — lost coverage in 2018 as a result.
What is a block grant waiver?
Inviting State “Block Grant” Waivers. The Trump Administration issued guidance in January 2020 inviting states to seek demonstration projects — known as waivers — that would radically overhaul Medicaid coverage for adults. Under the guidance, states could apply for waivers that would convert their Medicaid programs for adults into a form ...
What are the new immigration rules?
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of State (DoS) issued immigration rules in 2019 that will make it much more difficult for people with low or modest means to immigrate to the United States or for people already here to gain permanent resident status or extend or modify their temporary status. These complicated rules, along with other Trump Administration policies, have led many families that include immigrants to forgo Medicaid and other assistance programs for which they’re eligible despite the fact that most people who qualify for the programs identified in the rules will not undergo the “public charge” assessment that the rules radically changed. Beginning February 24, 2020, DHS immigration officials will be able to reject immigration applicants if they have received, or are judged likely to receive in the future, any of an array of benefits, including Medicaid. Timing for the DoS implementation of the policy has not yet been announced.
What is Trump's goal with Medicaid?
President Trump has made clear that his goal remains to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA), including its expansion of Medicaid to low-income adults, and to impose rigid caps on the federal government’s Medicaid spending. While Congress considered and rejected a series ...
How many children would lose Medicaid in 10 years?
After ten years, more than 300,000 children would lose comprehensive coverage ...
What would happen if the poverty line was lowered?
By lowering the poverty line, that proposal would ultimately cut billions of dollars from federal health programs and cause millions of people to lose their eligibility for, or receive less help from, these programs. Many programs, including Medicaid and CHIP, use the poverty line to determine eligibility and benefits, and the cuts to these programs — and the numbers of people losing assistance altogether or receiving less help — would increase with each passing year. After ten years, more than 300,000 children would lose comprehensive coverage through Medicaid and CHIP, as would more than 250,000 adults covered through the ACA Medicaid expansion. Some pregnant women, low-income parents in non-expansion states, and people receiving family planning services through Medicaid would also lose coverage.
What is star rating?
The Star Ratings system helps people with Medicare, their families, and their caregivers compare the quality of health and drug plans being offered. One of the best indicators of a plan’s quality is how its enrollees feel about their coverage experience.
Can ESRD be covered by Medicare?
Today’s rule gives beneficiaries with ESRD more coverage choices in the Medicare program. Previously, beneficiaries with ESRD were only allowed to enroll in MA plans in limited circumstances.
Does Medicare have telehealth?
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services today finalized requirements that will increase access to telehealth for seniors in Medicare Advantage (MA) plans , expand the types of supplemental benefits available for beneficiaries with an MA plan who have chronic diseases, provide support for more MA options for beneficiaries in rural communities, and expand access to MA for patients with End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD). Together, the changes advance President Trump’s Executive Orders on Protecting and Improving Medicare for Our Nation’s Seniors and Advancing American Kidney Health as well as several of the CMS strategic initiatives.
When will CMS change the star rating?
Additionally, CMS adopted a series of changes in the March 31, 2020, Interim Final Rule with Comment Period (CMS-1744-IFC) for the 2021 and 2022 Star Ratings to accommodate challenges arising from the COVID-19 public health emergency.
When is the MA and Part D bid due?
Due to the upcoming June 1, 2020, MA and Part D bid deadlines for the 2021 plan year, CMS is finalizing a subset of the proposed policies before the MA and Part D plans’ bids are due. CMS plans to address the remaining proposals for plans later in 2020 for the 2022 plan year.
Medicaid work requirements
The budget also requires all states to establish work requirements for Medicaid recipients, which it says would save an estimated $152 billion. But in practice, policy experts say, Medicaid work requirements won’t achieve anything like such savings by insisting that people earn more money.
What about Medicare?
The budget proposes several changes to the way health-care providers are paid in order to save money, not cut services. An estimated $117 billion could be saved over 10 years by stopping the practice of paying hospitals more than doctor’s offices for the same services.
How long does the Biden administration have to reverse the decision?
The Biden administration, however, is expected to oppose the approval, which lasts 10 years. While incoming officials can reverse the decision, the state can request a hearing to challenge that determination. The overturning of approvals has rarely, if ever, happened.
How much does the federal government pay for medicaid?
Funding for Medicaid, which covers more than one in five Americans, is now open-ended, with the federal government paying more than 60% of total Medicaid costs and states shouldering about 40% of the bill.
Does Tennessee have Medicaid?
Tennessee is one of a dozen states that has not expanded Medicaid to low-income adults under the Affordable Care Act. Block grant opponents, however, say that the arrangement could lead to Tennessee reducing enrollment or benefits to enhance its potential savings and stay under the cap.
Is Tennessee getting a modified block grant?
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Friday granted Tennessee's request to turn its federal Medicaid funding arrangement into a so-called modified block grant. It is the first state to receive such permission and is similar to a guidance the agency issued in early 2020.