Kentucky to be among the hardest-hit states by proposed Medicaid changes

A new report is shedding more light on the states where proposed Medicaid cuts making their way through Congress will impact Americans the hardest.The report, published by the Kaiser Family Foundation, indicates that the state of Kentucky is likely to face some of the most dramatic impacts of the changes.This comes after the House of Representatives passed by a 215-214 vote a wide-ranging bill on Thursday that includes much of President Donald Trump’s domestic agenda. This includes the extension of tax cuts first passed in Trump’s first term, the elimination of taxes on tips, and the creation of “Trump” savings accounts for young children with $1,000 given out by the federal government.However, it is the proposed cuts to Medicaid which are receiving some of the most attention. The bill is estimated by the Congressional Budget Office to cut $625 billion from the program, and cause 7.6 million Americans to lose their healthcare coverage.The bill does this by mandating that all non-disabled adults must be working in order to qualify for the program, which was designed as a method for lower-income adults to be eligible for healthcare coverage. It also establishes a ban on the implementation of new state Medicaid taxes on health care providers and repeals a rule established by former President Joe Biden meant to simplify the process of renewing Medicaid.Despite the changes to Medicaid, which are intended to offset the cost of the tax cuts enshrined in the bill, the Congressional Budget Office estimates that the federal deficit will still grow by $3.8 trillion over the next decade.This led two Greater Cincinnati Republicans — Warren Davidson of Ohio and Thomas Massie of Kentucky — to vote against the bill because of this expected growth to the national debt. They were the only two Republicans to join with all House Democrats in voting against the bill.However, the report from the Kaiser Family Foundation analyzing the data from the Congressional Budget Office indicates that these changes to Medicaid will not be distributed across the country equally.According to the report, approximately 19% of Kentuckians who currently qualify for Medicaid would not qualify for Medicaid by 2034 under the new changes if they go forward as currently written. While the number is an approximation, more conservative estimates pin the number at 14% of current Kentucky Medicaid recipients that would lose qualification, while higher-end estimates pin the number at 24% that would lose qualification.Only four states — North Dakota, Montana, Virginia and Washington — are projected to see higher percentages of residents disqualified from Medicaid within the next decade.Meanwhile, in terms of dollar amounts, Kentucky ranks the second highest in the amount of per capita Medicaid spending reduction that would be seen under the bill. Only Louisiana is estimated to see a higher per capita loss of Medicaid funding dollars across the country. According to the report, $1.7 billion per year is at risk in Medicaid dollars for the state of Kentucky, which is even more money than some substantially more populated states in the South such as Florida, Georgia, and Tennessee stand to lose per year. For reference, the state of Florida — which has five times the population of Kentucky — would lose approximately $1.2 billion per year under the changes.Federal data shows that the state of Kentucky currently has some of the highest enrollment numbers in Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) of any state in the country, at 35.8%. Only Louisiana, New Mexico, California, New York and Alaska have higher percentages.While not as severe as Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana are also both expected to be impacted by the changes more significantly than the U.S. as a whole.According to the Kaiser report, as many as 13% of Ohioans and 12% of Hoosiers who currently qualify for Medicaid would likely be disqualified by 2034 under the new changes.Ohio would also see a $2.5 billion reduction in funding per year, while Indiana would see a $1.4 billion reduction per year.Nationwide, 12% of all Medicaid recipients across the country would likely be disqualified under the new changes, according to the report.The bill now goes to the Senate, where it is expected to undergo changes. Some senators, such as Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine, have voiced concern about the Medicaid cuts seen within the bill. Others, such as Rand Paul of Kentucky and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, have voiced opposition to the bill on the grounds that the bill would substantially add to the national debt.The bill needs at least 50 of the Senate’s 53 Republicans to vote for the bill in order to pass, assuming no Democrats vote for the bill. If changes are made, it would then go back to the House to be voted on again before going to Trump’s desk for a final signature.

A new report is shedding more light on the states where proposed Medicaid cuts making their way through Congress will impact Americans the hardest.

The report, published by the Kaiser Family Foundation, indicates that the state of Kentucky is likely to face some of the most dramatic impacts of the changes.

This comes after the House of Representatives passed by a 215-214 vote a wide-ranging bill on Thursday that includes much of President Donald Trump’s domestic agenda. This includes the extension of tax cuts first passed in Trump’s first term, the elimination of taxes on tips, and the creation of “Trump” savings accounts for young children with $1,000 given out by the federal government.

However, it is the proposed cuts to Medicaid which are receiving some of the most attention. The bill is estimated by the Congressional Budget Office to cut $625 billion from the program, and cause 7.6 million Americans to lose their healthcare coverage.

The bill does this by mandating that all non-disabled adults must be working in order to qualify for the program, which was designed as a method for lower-income adults to be eligible for healthcare coverage. It also establishes a ban on the implementation of new state Medicaid taxes on health care providers and repeals a rule established by former President Joe Biden meant to simplify the process of renewing Medicaid.

Despite the changes to Medicaid, which are intended to offset the cost of the tax cuts enshrined in the bill, the Congressional Budget Office estimates that the federal deficit will still grow by $3.8 trillion over the next decade.

This led two Greater Cincinnati Republicans — Warren Davidson of Ohio and Thomas Massie of Kentucky — to vote against the bill because of this expected growth to the national debt. They were the only two Republicans to join with all House Democrats in voting against the bill.

However, the report from the Kaiser Family Foundation analyzing the data from the Congressional Budget Office indicates that these changes to Medicaid will not be distributed across the country equally.

According to the report, approximately 19% of Kentuckians who currently qualify for Medicaid would not qualify for Medicaid by 2034 under the new changes if they go forward as currently written.

While the number is an approximation, more conservative estimates pin the number at 14% of current Kentucky Medicaid recipients that would lose qualification, while higher-end estimates pin the number at 24% that would lose qualification.

Only four states — North Dakota, Montana, Virginia and Washington — are projected to see higher percentages of residents disqualified from Medicaid within the next decade.

Meanwhile, in terms of dollar amounts, Kentucky ranks the second highest in the amount of per capita Medicaid spending reduction that would be seen under the bill. Only Louisiana is estimated to see a higher per capita loss of Medicaid funding dollars across the country.

According to the report, $1.7 billion per year is at risk in Medicaid dollars for the state of Kentucky, which is even more money than some substantially more populated states in the South such as Florida, Georgia, and Tennessee stand to lose per year. For reference, the state of Florida — which has five times the population of Kentucky — would lose approximately $1.2 billion per year under the changes.

Federal data shows that the state of Kentucky currently has some of the highest enrollment numbers in Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) of any state in the country, at 35.8%. Only Louisiana, New Mexico, California, New York and Alaska have higher percentages.

While not as severe as Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana are also both expected to be impacted by the changes more significantly than the U.S. as a whole.

According to the Kaiser report, as many as 13% of Ohioans and 12% of Hoosiers who currently qualify for Medicaid would likely be disqualified by 2034 under the new changes.

Ohio would also see a $2.5 billion reduction in funding per year, while Indiana would see a $1.4 billion reduction per year.

Nationwide, 12% of all Medicaid recipients across the country would likely be disqualified under the new changes, according to the report.

The bill now goes to the Senate, where it is expected to undergo changes. Some senators, such as Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine, have voiced concern about the Medicaid cuts seen within the bill. Others, such as Rand Paul of Kentucky and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, have voiced opposition to the bill on the grounds that the bill would substantially add to the national debt.

The bill needs at least 50 of the Senate’s 53 Republicans to vote for the bill in order to pass, assuming no Democrats vote for the bill. If changes are made, it would then go back to the House to be voted on again before going to Trump’s desk for a final signature.

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