Secretary of Health and Human Services Tom Price asserted that Medicaid recipients will “absolutely not” lose coverage under the House GOP’s health care replacement bill.
“We believe strongly that the Medicaid population will be cared for in a better way under our program,” Price told Jake Tapper on CNN’s State of the Union Sunday morning. Price said millions of Americans would “absolutely not” lose coverage under the AHCA.
Tapper also asked Price if President Trump broke his campaign promise when he promoted a bill that cuts $880 billion from Medicaid. “How is this not a broken promise?” Tapper asked Price.
While he refused to answer Tapper’s question, Price instead asked the host to think about the results rather than the numbers and figures. Price also took issue with Tapper’s characterization.
“Remember that there are no cuts to the Medicaid program. They’re increases in spending,” Price explained to Tapper. “But what we’re doing is apportioning it in a way that allows the states greater flexibility,” he continued.
“Imagine a system that works better for patients,” Price said to Tapper. “What we’re fashioning is a system that would allow the states to tailor that Medicaid program to those specific individuals,” he said, adding that it would not only save money, but also provide patients with a higher level of care.
The AHCA moves to the Senate, where Republicans view Medicaid expansion in a much more favorable light. The GOP-controlled Senate is likely to draft a version of the bill that keeps Medicaid expansion, according to Jerry Vitti, CEO of Healthcare Financial, who spoke to Forbes.
Price made the rounds Sunday morning, also speaking with Chuck Todd on NBC’s Meet the Press. During his interview with Todd, Price defended the health care replacement plan from critics who claim that the plan will not take care of individuals with pre-existing conditions.
“I think it’s absolutely true that the president is fulfilling his promise to the American people and that is to make certain that every single American has access to the kind of coverage that they want for themselves and for their family,” Price said to Chuck Todd.
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