STAT+: GOP senators zero in on Medicaid policy in Trump’s tax bill that has little impact on enrollment

WASHINGTON — A handful of Republican senators want to dial back federal funding cuts to Medicaid in President Trump’s tax cut package, known as the One Big Beautiful Bill. But the changes that most of them are focused on would not help many people keep their insurance.

Republicans have faced pushback for their plans to pay for Trump’s tax cuts by reducing federal Medicaid funding and by making changes to Affordable Care Act marketplaces. States don’t like losing funding, hospitals don’t like losing business, and voters don’t like losing their insurance or paying more for it. 

Unlike the House, the Senate is not expected to hold hearings on the legislation, opting instead to work out their differences in private. Based on hallway interviews with reporters, there are a handful of Medicaid policies that seem to be getting the most attention ahead of the release of the Senate’s legislation, related to a mechanism that states use to boost their federal funding, known as provider taxes.

Continue to STAT+ to read the full story…