House Rejects President Bush's Medicaid Cuts

Press Release

Today, Congressman Chris Murphy (CT-5) joined his colleagues in the House of Representatives to support passage of a bill to reject President Bush's planned Medicaid cuts. According to Families USA, the implementation of the seven new Medicaid regulations in Connecticut would result in a loss of $83.5 million in federal funding, about $174 million in business activity, and approximately 1,500 jobs in the first year.

"The implementation of these cuts would just be the latest in a progression of poor health care policy choices by President Bush. Today, we sent a clear signal to the President that he faces a united front here in the House against his cuts," said Murphy.

H.R. 5613, the Protecting the Medicaid Safety Net Act, places a moratorium until March 2009 on seven damaging Administration-imposed Medicaid regulations. President Bush has threatened to veto the bill, despite the fact that it is supported by all 50 Governors, both Democratic and Republican.

The two most damaging cuts to Connecticut include the elimination of payment for graduate medical education in Medicaid and the elimination of payment for school-based outreach.

The graduate medical education proposed rule would prohibit Medicaid payment for graduate medical education programs that train providers so they have the experience and skills necessary to meet the unique needs of Medicaid recipients, particularly individuals with disabilities and children.

The rule regarding eliminating payment for school-based outreach would affect Connecticut's ability to administer Medicaid funding for children's care. Under current practice, schools may be reimbursed for their administrative activities associated with the program, including outreach, assistance with enrollment, and referring children to Medicaid providers and Medicaid services.

"We know there are kids out there who should be covered but aren't. But the President has decided he wants to cut funding for states to go out and find those kids - today's vote puts the brakes on his irrational proposal," said Murphy.

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