House Republicans are aiming to prevent around 1.4 million undocumented individuals from accessing Medicaid funded by taxpayers, while Democrats are struggling to communicate their stance on the matter.
On Wednesday morning, the House Energy Commerce Committee finalized the markup for a budget settlement bill, which includes measures that prevent individuals who can’t verify their citizenship or immigration status from receiving assistance.
The committee’s actions are set to remove 1.4 million undocumented individuals from the program based on these new stipulations.
However, all Democrats on the committee opposed the bill, and there were even discussions within the party to block undocumented individuals from participating in the program, though those voices weren’t part of the committee.
House Democrat leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) sidestepped a question from CNN’s Wolf Blitzer regarding potential cost savings from cutting taxpayer funds for undocumented individuals on Wednesday.
“This is just another fallacy regarding what Republicans are proposing,” Jeffries claimed, seemingly deflecting criticism onto Republicans for supposedly jeopardizing the healthcare of American citizens. “The Congressional Budget Office [CBO] clearly indicates that nearly 14 million Americans would lose their healthcare if these Medicaid cuts are enacted. And, by the way, most of those 14 million Americans are citizens.”
According to a report from Breitbart News, the CBO, which serves as a nonpartisan advisory body to Congress, has come under scrutiny for what some perceive as a bias in favor of left-leaning policies in recent years.
“The CBO has a history of overestimating public health benefits for Americans while downplaying the taxpayer implications of Democratic policies,” the report stated.
“FEC records indicate a pattern of unreliable projections approaching $17,000. Donations to Republican candidates since 1986 total just $250—only a one-time gift to George W. Bush in 2000,” it continued.
The CBO’s healthcare analysts, particularly those reviewing Medicaid, are reported to have significant ties to Democratic affiliations. According to the report, 84% of the CBO’s medical staff are linked to the Democratic party.
Out of a staff of 32, 26 are either registered or financially supportive of Democratic candidates or related groups. This includes the director, assistant director, and all unit leaders.
It could potentially be more concerning, as one staff member has no party affiliation and another has participated in both the 2016 Republican presidential primary and the Democratic primary, with four staff members remaining undecided.
The defense from Jeffries and House Democrats against the inclusion of undocumented individuals has been complicated by a recent announcement from Democratic California Governor Gavin Newsom.
On Wednesday, Newsom unveiled a new budget proposal suggesting a cut to free healthcare for undocumented individuals under the state’s Medicaid version, Medi-Cal, citing high costs.
Newsom noted that the state is facing a significant budget deficit for the second consecutive year, even amidst a large federal surplus. The $12 billion deficit is something the state government must address.
As part of his plan to cover the budget shortfall, Newsom’s revised budget for 2025-26 proposes saving $5 billion by preventing new undocumented immigrants from enrolling in Medi-Cal.
This move seems to soften some extreme leftist positions that could be politically detrimental in upcoming elections, suggesting House Democrats may be fighting a battle they’re destined to lose regarding taxpayer-funded Medicaid for undocumented individuals.
The Democrats’ message is further complicated by their long-standing calls for the elimination of waste, fraud, and abuse within Medicaid.
As Sean Moran from Breitbart News points out, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has been promoting the same ideas that Republicans are now pushing, reminiscent of proposals from former President Joe Biden.
For the moment, the lines are clearly drawn in the House, with Republicans feeling optimistic about advancing a “big, beautiful bill” that aims to prevent taxpayers from footing the healthcare bills for non-citizens.
