The Republican goal of making cuts to Medicaid got a boost from Chip Roy (R-TX) when he sent a letter signed by him and 19 of his Republican colleagues to the House Republican caucus. Included in the letter is the following paragraph, which appears to have actually been written by a conservative group called the Paragon Health Institute which receives funding from a libertarian group named Stand Together (a group funded by businessman Charles Koch). Quoting from the letter:
“If the House budget reconciliation package does not include structural Medicaid reform that achieves desired Republican outcomes, we will be setting up massive tax increases and benefit cuts in the future … For once, Congress should stop procrastinating, using excuses, and finally fulfill the Republican agenda.”
This stands in contrast to what Oregon Republican Cliff Bentz is telling his constituents:
Let me be absolutely clear: I believe in protecting Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security. These programs represent a commitment to our seniors, our most vulnerable populations, and to working Americans who have paid into these systems for decades. I have no intention of supporting any legislation that would dismantle or jeopardize the benefits we Americans have every right to rely on.
Unfortunately, some in Washington and in the media have engaged in spreading misleading claims that Republicans are seeking to “gut” these essential programs. These accusations are not only false, but they are designed to scare which is reprehensible.
The truth is that the reconciliation process is ongoing, and no final proposal has been agreed upon. Reconciliation is a tool used to bring our budget into balance, identify areas of waste or fraud, and ensure taxpayer dollars are being spent responsibly. Like every serious legislator, I am reviewing every provision carefully to ensure that any reforms proposed are rooted in fiscal responsibility, not cuts that harm those who depend on these programs.
It seems that Cliff may either be out of the loop, or that “some in Washington or the media” are actually speaking truth that Cliff just refuses to acknowledge. If you read Project 2025 you’ll notice that they have some big concerns about letting Medicaid continue to work as it is currently designed.
HHS is home to Medicare and Medicaid, the principal drivers of our $31 trillion national debt. When Congress passed and President Lyndon B. Johnson signed into law these programs, they were set on autopilot with no plan for how to pay
for them. The first year that Medicare spending was visible on the books was 1967. From that point on through 2020—according to the American Main Street Initiative’s analysis of official federal tallies—Medicare and Medicaid combined cost $17.8 trillion, while our combined federal deficits over that same span were $17.9 trillion. In essence, our deficit problem is a Medicare and Medicaid problem.
— Project 2025, page 283
The Republicans are not to be trusted with programs that are designed to help all Americans. They just care about cutting taxes for the wealthiest.