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Twitter Reacts to Trump's Budget Proposal and Medicaid Cuts

Jordan Davidson
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On Tuesday, the Trump administration shared its budget proposal, “A New Foundation for American Greatness,” which would cut Medicaid by $1.4 trillion over the course of 10 years.

Part of the Medicaid cuts would come from the American Health Care Act (AHCA), a bill designed to repeal and replace Obamacare, which, so far, has only been passed in the House. The AHCA cuts $839 billion from Medicaid and defunds Planned Parenthood.

The rest of the Medicaid cuts come directly from Trump’s budget. Medicaid is currently an entitlement program, meaning anyone who is eligible can apply and states receive guaranteed federal funding for part of the program’s cost. Trump’s budget proposal would switch Medicaid to either a block grant program or a per-capita program, thereby limiting federal funding states can receive, which would affect the quality of coverage as well as the number of people who can enroll. Switching to a block grant or per-capita program would cut an additional $610 billion from Medicaid over 10 years. States would also be allowed to require certain Medicaid enrollees work to maintain coverage.

“We are no longer going to measure compassion by the number of programs or number of people on those programs,” Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Mick Mulvaney said speaking with reporters on Monday. “If you’re on food stamps and you’re able-bodied, we need you to go to work. If you’re on disability insurance and you’re not supposed to be, you’re not truly disabled, we need you to go back to work.”

The budget would also set aside $19 billion for a national paid family leave, an initiative the White House says is the first of its kind in the country.

In a statement, American Psychological Association President Antonio E. Puente, Ph.D. said:

This budget, if enacted, would jeopardize our nation’s educational, scientific and health enterprises and limit access to critically needed mental and behavioral health services. These cuts would disproportionately affect people living in poverty, people with serious mental illness and other disabilities, women, children, people living with HIV/AIDS, older adults, ethnic and racial minorities, immigrants, and members of the LGBTQ community.

Beyond cutting Medicaid, the budget cuts other health-related programs including $5.8 billion from the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), a program which provides health insurance to children whose parents earn too much to qualify for Medicaid. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, 74.6 million Americans rely on either Medicaid or CHIP.

It’s unlikely Trump’s budget will be the final budget. “The President’s budget is a suggestion,” Sen. Mike Enzi (R-WY), the Senate’s budget committee chairman, said in a statement, according to The Hill. “We will take a close look at his budget, but Congress is mandated by the Constitution with key spending responsibilities and will ultimately decide what the nation’s fiscal priorities will be.”

Responding to news of Trump’s budget, fellow U.S. politicians, public figures, people from the disability community and other Americans, took to Twitter to share their thoughts.

Here’s what they had to say: 

What’s your take? Let us know in the comments below.

Jordan Davidson
 • 

Jordan Davidson is The Mighty's Managing Editor. Follow her on twitter @JA_Davids or email her at jordan@themighty.com.

jordan-davidson
Originally published: May 23, 2017
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