This episode of The Intersect discusses a document (Reconciliation Options) circulating among Republican lawmakers that proposes significant cuts to healthcare spending.
The goal of these cuts is to offset the cost of extending expiring tax cuts, given that healthcare represents the largest expenditure for the federal government.
Here's a breakdown of the key proposals:
•Non-profit status for hospitals could be eliminated, which could mean that hospitals would be taxed as for-profit businesses.
•Facility and telehealth fees may be banned, eliminating extra charges consumers face as hospitals expand their ownership of outpatient and physician offices.
•Medicare payments could become "site-neutral" for outpatient services, equalizing payments for services that can safely be delivered in a physician's office.
•Graduate medical education (GME) funding may be cut, potentially impacting the training of future medical professionals.
•Medicaid could be slashed by approximately $1.4 trillion, which could significantly affect healthcare access for low-income individuals and families.
Other proposed changes include:
•Limiting eligibility for federal healthcare programs based on citizenship status.
•Reducing Medicare reimbursements for hospitals' bad debt.
•Reforming uncompensated care payments.
•Eliminating dual reclassifications for hospitals under Medicare.
•Reforming Obamacare subsidies.
•Repealing the DACA Obamacare Subsidies Final Rule.
The document also includes many other proposals relating to healthcare, energy, tax, trade, and welfare. Many of the proposals are intended to create savings, and some are designed to reduce costs. The viability of these proposals is not yet clear.
Source: Reconciliation Options
