{"id":2433914,"date":"2025-05-13T06:07:02","date_gmt":"2025-05-13T10:07:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/hawley-drawing-red-line-on-medicaid-is-noncommittal-on-gop-megabill-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2025-05-13T06:10:21","modified_gmt":"2025-05-13T10:10:21","slug":"hawley-drawing-red-line-on-medicaid-is-noncommittal-on-gop-megabill-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/hawley-drawing-red-line-on-medicaid-is-noncommittal-on-gop-megabill-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"Hawley, drawing red line on Medicaid, is noncommittal on GOP megabill &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">28<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fhawley-drawing-red-line-on-medicaid-is-noncommittal-on-gop-megabill-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2433914&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO), a prominent advocate for Medicaid, remains cautious about supporting the House RepublicanS legislation aimed at advancing former President Trump&#8217;s agenda. His support hinges on safeguarding Medicaid, particularly as the proposed budget reconciliation bill includes significant cuts to the program. Hawley emphasized the need to see the finalized version of the house proposal, stating, \u201clet\u2019s see what it actually comes out to.\u201d Currently,the proposal suggests $715 billion in cuts over the next decade,sparking concerns about potential loss of coverage for millions. <\/p>\n<p>Hawley has expressed that he opposes any cuts to Medicaid benefits, especially in Missouri, and while he shows some acceptance of proposed work requirements for beneficiaries, he remains wary of the Congressional Budget Office&#8217;s analysis indicating millions could lose coverage under the proposed changes. Senate Democrats have criticized the bill, arguing it would harm the Medicaid program. As negotiations continue, Hawley\u2019s alignment on the issue is crucial for Senate Republicans, who have limited room for dissent among their ranks due to the narrow majority. The House Energy and Commerce Committee is set to discuss the proposal further, marking a step toward finalizing legislation before the Fourth of July.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Josh Hawley, drawing red line on Medicaid, is noncommittal on House&rsquo;s Trump megabill<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2119821\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>The Senate&rsquo;s loudest Republican defender of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/3408010\/house-gop-medicaid-plan-compromise-stricter-requirements\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Medicaid \">Medicaid <\/a>is keeping his powder dry on the House GOP&rsquo;s &ldquo;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/sununu-outlines-ways-trump-can-win-early-momentum-is-real-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"Sununu outlines ways Trump can win early: \u2018Momentum is real\u2019 - Washington Examiner\">big beautiful bill&#038;rdquo<\/a>; to advance President Donald Trump&rsquo;s agenda.<\/p>\n<p>Sen. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/josh-hawley\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Josh Hawley\">Josh Hawley<\/a> (R-MO), whose support is crucial for a so<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gop-battle-brews-over-gateway-drug-of-government-spending-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"GOP battle brews over &#039;gateway drug&#039; of government spending - Washington Examiner\">-called budget reconciliation bill<\/a> but is contingent on preserving Medicaid, wants to first see what House Republicans can muster through their thin majority.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/3409055\/democrats-promise-action-trump-qatar-luxury-jet-gift\/\">Senate Democrats promise to &lsquo;take action&rsquo; over Trump accepting Qatari luxury jet<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3408531\/fetterman-club-for-growth-trump-tax-cuts\/\">Club for Growth tries to woo Fetterman to back Trump tax cuts<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/3408166\/georgia-insurance-commissioner-john-king-senate-ossoff\/\">Georgia Insurance Commissioner John King launches bid for US Senate seat against Ossoff<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>&ldquo;Let&rsquo;s see what they actually pass,&rdquo; Hawley told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> on Monday evening. &ldquo;Let&rsquo;s see what it actually comes out to, what the details are. I&rsquo;m against anything that&rsquo;s a cut.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The proposal, which the House Energy and Commerce Committee will debate and potentially alter on Tuesday, includes $715 billion in cuts over the next decade to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act. It&rsquo;s a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/3408010\/house-gop-medicaid-plan-compromise-stricter-requirements\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"significantly pared back version\">significantly pared-back version<\/a> from initial proposals to slash Medicaid benefits alone by more than $800 billion. The current version amounts to a compromise between swing-district centrists opposed to steep reductions and conservative fiscal hawks wanting to use reductions to help offset Trump&rsquo;s economic policies and tax cuts.<\/p>\n<p>Still, the text includes de facto cuts that, if passed, would be set on a collision course with Hawley and other Senate Republicans seeking to safeguard the <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >government-subsidized health insurance program<\/a> that covers some 80 million poor adults and children.<\/p>\n<p>Hawley described the &ldquo;move away&rdquo; from more drastic cuts previously floated by fiscal hawks as a positive sign. And he suggested stricter work requirements were acceptable. But the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office&rsquo;s <a href=\"https:\/\/democrats-energycommerce.house.gov\/sites\/evo-subsites\/democrats-energycommerce.house.gov\/files\/evo-media-document\/cbo-emails-re-e%26c-reconcilation-scores-may-11%2C-2025.pdf\">early analysis<\/a> that 8.6 million people could lose coverage because of the various changes appeared to give Hawley pause.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;My position on that is, I&rsquo;m against cutting Medicaid benefits, and specifically Medicaid benefits in the state of Missouri. So let&rsquo;s see where the House gets to on that,&rdquo; he said.<\/p>\n<p>The proposal includes work, education, or volunteer requirements of at least 80 hours per month for able-bodied beneficiaries; more frequent verification of income and residency eligibility; a freeze on an arrangement that allows states to boost federal Medicaid funding by taxing healthcare providers; and increasing co-payments by up to $35 for those above the federal poverty line.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) questions the witnesses during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on fentanyl, and the need for permanent class scheduling, on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo\/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Federal Medicaid spending has skyrocketed since the expansion of eligibility under President Barack Obama&rsquo;s Affordable Care Act. Total Medicaid spending was $333 billion in fiscal 2008 (before Obama became president) and jumped to $860 billion by 2023. The federal share of the costs also increased from 60% to 72% in that time frame, <a href=\"https:\/\/paragoninstitute.org\/paragon-pic\/medicaid-costs-soared-for-the-federal-government-from-2008-to-2023-while-costs-were-flat-for-states\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"according to analysis\">according to analysis<\/a> from the Paragon Health Institute.<\/p>\n<p>Democrats lambasted policies that they said would &ldquo;eviscerate&rdquo; the program.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Republicans promised for months that they would protect Medicaid,&rdquo; Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said. &ldquo;But now Americans know the truth: Republicans never intended to keep that promise, and this confirms it.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>In a <em>New York Times<\/em> op-ed published Monday morning that appeared to be written in the days prior to the House GOP&rsquo;s bill release, Hawley penned a scathing rebuke warning his party that Medicaid cuts would be &ldquo;morally wrong and politically suicidal.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Republicans need to open their eyes: Our voters support social insurance programs. More than that, our voters depend on those programs,&rdquo; Hawley <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2025\/05\/12\/opinion\/josh-hawley-dont-cut-medicaid.html\">wrote<\/a>. &ldquo;And there&rsquo;s a reason for this that Republicans would do well to ponder. Our economy is increasingly unfriendly to working people and their families.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>With only three defectors to spare, Senate Republicans can&rsquo;t afford to lose Hawley. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) is opposed because he said the bill, which also deals with border security, taxes, and energy, failed to go far enough on spending cuts. Libertarian Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), a deficit hawk, is an expected opponent. Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) also <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/igorbobic\/status\/1922055485760409675\">conveyed<\/a> hesitation. <\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/3408010\/house-gop-medicaid-plan-compromise-stricter-requirements\/\">HOUSE GOP ROLLS OUT MEDICAID PLAN COMPROMISE WITH STRICTER REQUIREMENTS<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Centrist Republicans like Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) are also vital to win over, both having offered similar cautions as Hawley not to gut Medicaid.<\/p>\n<p>Collins told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> on Monday evening she&rsquo;d yet to examine the legislation. Murkowski was <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/igorbobic\/status\/1922053592426676631\">optimistic<\/a> about the changes involving how states tax healthcare providers because she said Alaska likely wouldn&rsquo;t be affected.<\/p>\n<p>The House Energy and Commerce Committee on Tuesday will hold its markup of the proposal, the first step to cementing the Medicaid changes into the &ldquo;big beautiful bill&rdquo; Congress seeks to complete by the Fourth of July.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_2119821\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"2119821\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Josh Hawley remains cautious about the House&#8217;s Trump bill<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3108,"featured_media":2433915,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/josh-hawley-on-latest-gop-medicaid-proposal.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[6203,50817,4762,11975,32076],"class_list":["post-2433914","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-gop","tag-hawley-2","tag-legislation","tag-medicaid","tag-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/josh-hawley-on-latest-gop-medicaid-proposal.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2433914","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3108"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2433914"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2433914\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2433918,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2433914\/revisions\/2433918"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2433915"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2433914"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2433914"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2433914"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}