Pennsylvania faces billions in Medicaid and other health funding cuts, which could force tens of thousands out of programs, under a budget resolution approved by Congressional Republicans, according to opposition groups.
The Center for American Progress (CAP) and Commonwealth Communications’ PA Accountability Hub, both left-leaning outfits, have criticized Republican U.S. House lawmakers for the potential impact on their constituents if Medicaid funding is slashed by an expected $880 billion to help fund President Donald Trump’s $4.5 trillion tax cut plan.
While Republicans have responded that the budget resolution that narrowly passed the House 217-215 is only a blueprint to cut spending, Democrats and their allies have warned that the reality is much different.
“The Republican House budget resolution currently under consideration instructs the House Energy and Commerce Committee to cut at least $880 billion in costs through 2034,” said CAP on its website. “Based on previous proposals from House Budget Committee Republican leadership, these cuts are widely anticipated to come from the Medicaid program.”
In Rep. Scott Perry’s 10th Congressional District, there are 146,666 constituents covered by Medicaid or CHIP, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, said the PA Accountability Hub.
The potential loss from cuts could total $1.84 billion in Perry’s district alone and put 39,000 people in danger of losing coverage, the Hub said. All of Pennsylvania’s GOP House members voted for the budget resolution on Tuesday.
“Pennsylvania Republicans sold out thousands of their constituents to please their party bosses in Washington,” said Hub director Jack Doyle. “It was a disgusting display of Washington cowardice, and they owe their constituents an explanation.”
More than 3 million Pennsylvanians rely on Medicaid, 40% of them are children. Another 30% are senior citizens.
CAP and the Hub “biased/leftist organizations,” a Perry spokesman said.
“Congressman Perry’s support for the budget resolution unlocked further negotiations in the House and Senate,” he said. “It simply sets targets and instructs committees to draft specific reconciliation legislation.”
After the budget resolution vote on Tuesday, Perry posted on X, formerly Twitter, that he was “proud” to see it pass the House.
“The radical Left and its news minions tried hard to kill the measure, but Republicans got it done,” he wrote. “The passage unlocked the process of securing our border and extending tax relief to Americans, along with many other aspects of the America First agenda. Let’s keep marching.”
Rep. Dan Meuser’s 9th Congressional District has 161,938 constituents on Medicaid/CHIP and could see a funding cut of $2.03 billion, resulting in 47,000 people being in danger of losing coverage, the Hub said.
On Tuesday, Meuser posted on X that he was “happy” to have voted for the budget resolution, which he said would “play an important role in ushering in a new Golden Age in America.”
Meuser took to the House podium on Wednesday to defend the resolution and refute criticism that Medicaid is under attack.
“Despite what the media and the left allege, no Medicaid or Medicare benefits will be reduced — these are entirely false claims,” Meuser wrote on X along with a video of him speaking in the House. “The only reductions will be to waste, abuse, fraud, and ineligibility if found — which I believe 98% of Americans support.”
The impact on other Republican-held congressional districts in the region would also be significant, according to figures from the Hub and CAP:
- 11th Congressional District (Lancaster and part of York County) represented by GOP Rep. Lloyd Smucker has 135,173 constituents covered by Medicaid/CHIP and could face $1.69 billion in funding cuts, putting 38,000 in jeopardy of losing coverage.
- 13th Congressional District (Franklin/Fulton/Mifflin/Bedford/Blair/Cambria/Adams/Juniata/Huntingdon and parts of Cumberland/Perry/Somerset counties represented by GOP Rep. John Joyce has 167,730 Medicaid/CHIP recipients and could face funding cuts of $2.1 billion, possibly reducing coverage by 51,000 people.
- 15th Congressional District (Armstrong/Cameron/Centre/Clinton/Clairon/Clearfield/Elk/Forest/Jefferson/McKean/Potter/Snyder/Tioga/Union/Warren and parts of Indian/Lycoming/Venango counties represented by GOP Glenn “GT” Thompson has 155,207 Medicaid/CHIP recipients and could face $1.94 billion in cuts, putting 56,000 in jeopardy of losing coverage.
Spokespeople for those three lawmakers did not provide responses to PennLive, but Joyce, whose district stretches from Adams County to Altoona, told TribLive that he has heard his constituents’ concerns and will fight to preserve Medicaid.
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“I remain committed to supporting Medicaid’s core mission of providing access and care to low-income children, pregnant women and individuals with disabilities, and I will work to protect this core mission throughout the budget resolution process,” Joyce said.