Commentary: Congressional Budgets Put Child Health Programs In Danger
Congress is at it again! Both the House and Senate budget proposals want to convert Medicaid into a block grant, cutting funding for those children enrolled in Medicaid in the process – the Senate by $400 billion over ten years, and the House by more than $900 billion. Medicaid provides health insurance right now for more than 31 million children. Block-granting Medicaid will cause great harm to children, subjecting them to widespread rationing of coverage and care. As an “entitlement,” Medicaid guarantees coverage for eligible individuals, including children and pregnant women, without a requirement for annual congressional appropriations. A block grant would replace this guarantee with annual allotments to states that fail to adjust for population growth, state agendas, public health crises, or natural disasters. States would also be responsible for covering all costs above the federal allotment, or would be forced to greatly limit coverage or care for children and other residents.