Cantwell to Dr. Oz: “Are You Going to Cut Medicaid?”
Dr. Mehmet Oz nominated by Trump to serve in key post overseeing Medicare and Medicaid spending; GOP spending bill would necessitate slashing Medicaid; Cantwell snapshot report shows rural central and eastern WA health care would be devastated by Medicaid cuts
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), senior member of the Senate Finance Committee and ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, pressed Dr. Mehmet Oz – Trump’s nominee for Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services – on how he plans to defend Medicaid as Republicans in Congress move to cut billions of dollars from the program.
During Dr. Oz’s Finance Committee confirmation hearing, Sen. Cantwell asked him: “Do you believe in the Medicaid expansion that was done under the Affordable Care Act?”
Dr. Oz: “For some states, it made sense. For some it didn't. I think that's a good example of how states should pick a path to take care of their most vulnerable. But they have to have a plan.”
Sen. Cantwell: “Well, wait, but the states that didn't don't have a plan. What plan did they have?”
Dr. Oz: “As we discussed in your office, with the Affordable Care Act, they have an opportunity to expand Medicaid, or they could use other tactics. As you know, 10 states haven't expanded—"
Sen. Cantwell: “I know, but you're saying that's okay?”
Dr. Oz: “As long as they have a plan to address their challenges of dealing with the underserved populations.”
Sen. Cantwell: “What plan?”
Sen. Cantwell concluded her questioning by calling Dr. Oz out for not saying which elements of Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act he plans to defend from cuts under a Trump administration. She reminded him that in 2009, he told the Seattle Times: “It should be mandatory that everybody in America have health-care coverage. If you can’t afford it, we have to give it to you.”
“Look -- you're coming with the ability to be an advocate here. So we want to know what you're going to be an advocate for. And all my colleagues are going to want to know, are you going to cut Medicaid?” Sen. Cantwell asked. “We don't believe in cutting Medicaid.”
“The number of people in my state who are getting maternal care from this is exorbitant. The number of kids getting care from this is high -- 47% of kids in my state receive insurance from Medicaid. And we have population centers of our entire state that are well above 50% Medicaid, Medicare populations,” she continued. “If you don't like some aspects of the Affordable Care Act, you should say which ones you don't like.”
Last month, Sen. Cantwell released a snapshot report highlighting the impact that slashing Medicaid to fund tax cuts for corporations and the ultra-wealthy would have on Washington state's health care system -- especially in Central and Eastern Washington.
READ MORE:
The Seattle Times: Cuts to Medicaid would hurt WA’s children, poor
Medicaid is the federal program that insures many low-income adults and children, pregnant people, seniors, and people with disabilities. Washington state's Medicaid program, Apple Health, ensures that eligible Washingtonians can afford to seek health care and see providers when they need to. The program also ensures that hospitals -- which are required to treat everyone, regardless of their ability to pay -- receive reimbursements for the significant number of low-income people they serve. Over 1.9 million Washingtonians are enrolled in Apple Health.
Late last month, the House of Representatives passed a funding bill that would necessitate $880 billion in cuts from the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which has jurisdiction over Medicaid. Supporters of the bill claim that the text includes no mention of Medicaid -- however, the extent of the cuts required by the legislation would mean that the committee has essentially no other options other than to hack away at Medicaid.
Moreover, this week – after President Trump told Congress that Elon Musk is leading his efforts to cut the government – Musk said the vital Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid programs are “the big one to eliminate.”
Video of Sen. Cantwell’s exchange with Dr. Oz is available HERE, audio HERE, and a full transcript is HERE.
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