Future Federal Funding Plans (and impact on Medicaid) Still Up in Air

ANCOR Members have been inquiring about the impact of President Trump’s request of his Cabinet Secretaries to cut agency spending by 5 percent. According to the Washington Post, firm decisions about this are up in the air.  Notably, Social Security and Medicare are mentioned as potentially protected programs – but no sources have cited protection of Medicaid yet. According to the Post:

“Administration officials have, for now, crafted a sparse plan that would recycle past proposals and call on Congress to trim federal spending on a variety of programs, two White House officials said.

But even as he has demanded deficit reduction, Trump has handcuffed his advisers with limits on what measures could be taken. And almost immediately after demanding the cuts from his Cabinet secretaries, Trump suggested that some areas – particularly the military – would be largely spared.

The president has said no changes can be made to Medicare and Social Security, two of the government’s most expensive entitlements, as he has promised that the popular programs will remain untouched.”

[…]

“In total, government debt has risen roughly $2 trillion since Trump took office, and the federal government now owes $21.7 trillion, according to the Treasury Department.  The president’s agenda has contributed to that increase and is projected to continue to do so, both through the GOP tax cut and with bipartisan spending increases.”