As House lawmakers review a massive budget bill that seeks to find $1.5 trillion in cuts, the process is setting off alarm bells among Massachusetts congressional delegation that Medicaid will be caught in the crosshairs.
"This bill, as currently proposed, will cut health care for 14 million members of the American family," Rep. Richard Neal said Tuesday.
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WATCH HERE"Republicans are passing this policy in the middle of the night and they're cutting in this way to create tax cuts for people who don't need tax cuts," Rep. Jake Auchincloss said.
House Speaker Mike Johnson insists federally paid Medicaid expansion costs won't be touched, but those assurances seem to fall flat with Bay State leaders and medical providers.
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SIGN UP "It's almost like revenue death by a thousand cuts," said Dr. Lisa Jones of Health First Family Care Center.
"No state in the country can make up for the kind of cuts that are being talked about," Gov. Maura Healey said.
That's not the only health care-related concern in Massachusetts. State lawmakers are discussing the availability and affordability of personal care physicians.
"We have a health care system where patients go into debt to get medical care, where health care workers don't have the resources they need," Massachusetts State Sen. Cindy Friedman said.
"Support for community health organizations is needed now more than ever," Massachusetts State Sen. John Keenan said.
Healey says the issue remains a top priority for her administration.
"That includes paying them more," Healey said.
