In a letter sent to bipartisan leaders in the House and Senate, the Congress of Catholic Bishops, the Catholic Health Association and Catholic charities urged lawmakers to protect and strengthen Medicaid. The problem of faith.
“The Catholic Church teaches that human life is sacred and that all people have inherent dignity and values. As a Catholic bishop and organization that provides healthcare and social services on behalf of the Church, we firmly believe that all people have the right to the needs they need to live, find their families, and thrive,” the organization writes. “We recommend prioritizing those in need and families on duty to protect the Medicaid program as we tackle settlement priorities.”
House Republicans are debating how deeply they need to cut to pay for President Trump's tax cuts and extension of border enforcement funds, and how much they are debating. Political repulsion They can withstand.
One of the main goals is Medicaid, a federally and state-funded, jointly funded program that provides health insurance to more than 72 million low-income Americans. Republicans believe Medicaid is considered a program fraud and abuse, And I have tried to keep that expenditure down for a long time.
The House Energy and Commerce Committee, which covers Medicaid, is tasked with a significant reduction of $880 billion.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) told CNN this week that some of the most steepest potential cuts, such as changes that would reduce federal payments based on population rather than current free qualifications, are: From the table. He kept the door open to reduce the expanded state of Medicaid and the strengthened federal games of enthusiastically supported labor requirements.
Work requirements It may be the most politically appealing change that Republicans have discussed, but Catholics have pushed them back too.
“Wilding Medicaid through structural changes such as caps and block grants for each individual will undermine these values and risks, leaving them in millions without access to critical health services,” the organization writes. “In addition, policies like job reporting requirements do little to help those looking for work, but provide clear evidence that creates artificial barriers to care.”
Changes to Medicaid will likely be faced Pushback From vulnerable Republicans in the swing or blue district. According to a report by the Pew Research Centre on Religious Composition of the 119th Congress, roughly half of the most vulnerable GOP House members in 2026 (8 out of the top 17) are Catholic.
