The U.S. House of Representatives voted 217-215 to adopt its budget plan Feb. 25, which is predicted to lead to drastic Medicaid cuts, NBC News reported.
The budget blueprint for Fiscal Year 2025 calls for $4.5 trillion in tax cuts and $2 trillion in spending cuts. The Energy and Commerce Committee, which is responsible for matters related to public health and the Department of Health and Human Services, is specifically being asked to cut $880 billion, leading many government officials and healthcare workers to believe that cuts to Medicaid and other safety net programs are likely.
The threats to Medicaid funding originally led some to believe that the House would experience difficulties in passing its budget, but all three House members who previously opposed the bill — Reps. Tim Burchett, Victoria Spartz and Warren Davidson — ended up voting in favor of it.
Healthcare leaders nationwide had urged lawmakers to oppose the bill, citing concerns for hospital revenue and care accessibility for patients. Several executives shared their disappointment in the budget's passage with Becker's.
Dental leaders also warned that Medicaid cuts could threaten already unstable dental Medicaid programs, exacerbate workforce shortages and lead to worsening oral health conditions.
"DSOs, as well as any private practice, cannot survive seeing patients if they lose money every time a patient walks through the door," Andrew Mintz, the CEO of The Smilist, told Becker's in an email. "I’m concerned that either there will be a further shortage of providers who are willing to see Medicaid patients (creating other health issues for those patients who don’t have access to care) or that the quality of care will significantly decrease if the volume of patients needs to increase in order to keep the practice running."
The Senate passed its own plan Feb. 21, prioritizing $175 billion for border security and $150 billion in military spending. Despite their budgets being at odds, both chambers will ultimately have to pass the same resolution.