Rep. Rich McCormick (R-Ga.) said Tuesday that lawmakers will ultimately face tough spending choices in next year's unified Republican administration, with potential cuts to social welfare programs. suggested something.
“We're going to have to make difficult decisions. We're going to have to convene the Democrats to talk about Social Security, Medicaid, Medicare. We need to save hundreds of billions of dollars, and we don't know how. 'Just do it.' They have the stomach to actually take on those challenges,'' McCormick told Fox Business Network's Maria Bartiromo.
As Republicans seek to streamline government spending and offset proposed tax cuts, Democrats are warning that the party's three-way coalition could jeopardize the social safety net.
Asked if the defense budget should also be cut, McCormick said: “I don't really like that.”
“When you talk about budget cuts, I think about it all, and frankly, we need to do that,” he added.
President-elect Trump has vowed not to touch entitlement programs like Medicare and Social Security, but he has made no such promise regarding Medicaid.
According to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), as of September 2023, more than 88 million people, including approximately 40 million children, were enrolled in Medicaid. It remains the state's largest source of federal funding.
President Trump's nomination of anti-vaccine activist and environmental lawyer Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead HHS has raised questions about possible budget cuts. He also announced the selection of television broadcaster Mehmet Oz to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which is essentially the federal government's insurance provider.
Mr. Oz is a supporter of Medicare Advantage. Medicare Advantage is a private sector alternative to traditional Medicare that has come under intense scrutiny for its high Medicare charges, limited provider network and routine denial of care to patients. When he ran for the Pennsylvania Senate in 2022, he promoted policies that would expand access to Medicare Advantage to all individuals who wish to enroll.
