As I have been saying, these fraud claims are about (1) cover for politically motivated attacks on certain states (2) cover for the largest Medicaid cuts in history in H.R. 1 (when their existence isn't entirely denied) and (3) cover for further damaging #Medicaid cuts done administratively (2/2)

With the laughable claims from HHS Secretary Kennedy that there weren't any #Medicaid cuts in H.R. 1, no one should continue to take in good faith the Trump Admin's claims including from Kennedy and Oz that its ongoing attacks on state Medicaid programs are also just about curbing fraud (1/2)

RFK Jr. Is Consistent on One Thing: Denying Cuts Have Been Made to Medicaid This is your TPM evening briefing.

H.R. 1 cut #Medicaid by nearly $1 trillion/10 years, the largest cuts in history that make 7.5 million uninsured. Kennedy continues to brazenly deny that there were any cuts because he knows they are so unpopular & already causing damage. wherethingsstand.talkingpointsmemo.com/p/rfk-jr-is-...

Rather than stop this violence & make sensible reforms thru the bipartisan approps process, Sen Rs plan to use a partisan “reconciliation” bill to fund ICE/CBP w/ up to $140B, no-strings-attached – on top of $170B they gave DHS last yr for its detention & deportation dragnet.

State Marketplace Network: Enrollment Snapshot - State Marketplace Network State-based Marketplaces (SBMs) are closely monitoring enrollment patterns this year as markets shift alongside significant policy changes over the past year, including the expiration of federal enhan...

This report on 17 state-based ACA marketplaces confirms what we've been expecting: loss of PTC enhancements and higher premiums in 2026 is driving disenrollment and shifts to plans w/lower premiums but higher deductibles and cost sharing. statemarketplacenetwork.org/state-market...

Insurance for a Healthier Future: How Medicaid Supports Us All This research roundup highlights evidence on how Medicaid benefits everyone and policy recommendations that states can take to protect coverage and access to care.

Medicaid keeps us ALL healthier - not just those covered by the program. Covering preventive, life-saving, and long-term care for 70M people, Medicaid keeps entire communities healthy and keeps hospitals open so we all can access care. Read the new roundup from RWJF: https://rwjf.ws/medicaidroundup

Congress Must Address SNAP Cost Shift Before Even More Low-Income Families Lose Food Assistance Congress should delay H.R. 1’s unprecedented cost shift to state budgets, which is already hurting struggling families and driving far deeper SNAP cuts than anticipated as states scramble to respond t...

H.R. 1’s unprecedented cost shift to states is already driving far deeper SNAP cuts than anticipated as states scramble to reduce costs. Congress must delay this unfunded mandate for all states before even more struggling families lose food assistance.

‘He Just Lied to America’: Russ Vought Denies Violating Impoundment Laws, Prompting Sharp Response Despite his central role in the Trump administration, Office of Management and...

“They absolutely impounded. He just lied to America,” Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR), ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee, told TPM in response to Vought’s remarks.

talkingpointsmemo.com/news/he-just...

BOYLE: The CBO says the big beautiful bill eliminates healthcare coverage for more than 15 million Americans. Are they really all, according to you, illegals and defrauding the system. That's really your position?

RUSS VOUGHT: Yes

BOYLE: That's laughable!

‘A crisis in the making’: Nebraska races to impose work requirements on Medicaid www.politico.com/news/2026/04...

Dr. Oz Forced to Admit Humiliating Mistake in His Big Blue State ‘Fraud’ Probe www.thedailybeast.com/dr-oz-forced...

The U.S. has spent billions on the Iran war. What else could that money have bought? The estimated $28 billion the U.S. poured into the Iran war before the ceasefire could have funded a year of day care for 2 million children or rent for 1.2 million people, an NBC News analysis found.

What else could the U.S. have gotten to support Americans for the estimated $28 billion it spent on the Iran war?

An analysis by NBC News found:

• funding a year of free day care for 2 million children

• rent for 1.2 million people

• or health insurance through Medicaid for 3 million people

States Face Another Challenge With Medicaid Work Rules: Staffing Shortages - KFF Health News Some states already don’t have enough staff to quickly process Medicaid applications and answer enrollees’ phone calls. Researchers say they may not be prepared to handle new Medicaid work rules, predicting people will lose coverage as a result.

ID said it has 40 eligibility worker vacancies. NY estimated it will need 80 new employees. PA said it has nearly 400 open positions. IN's Medicaid agency has 94 open positions. ME wants to hire 90 additional staffers, & MA wants to hire 70 more.
kffhealthnews.org/news/article... #Medicaid

The Trump administration has voiced some tough rhetoric about health insurers. But almost every major decision from Trump officials has benefited insurers and their bottom lines. The new Medicare Advantage rule is the latest example. www.statnews.com/2026/04/09/m...

Federal $ cuts and policy mandates put states in a bind as they struggle to meet the nutrition needs of children and families.

Morning Digest: Oklahoma GOP wants voters to undo Medicaid expansion that voters already approved And they're scheduling the vote to maximize Republican turnout

Oklahoma voters placed Medicaid expansion into their state constitution in 2020. Now, Gov. Kevin Stitt and other Republican leaders want them to take it out.

NDD less VA medical, 1986-present. roughly flat-ish until 2020 around 3%, and then down down down down to 2% last year. And then Trump is proposing taking it down to 1.7%.

Here is my thread on Trump's budget request, which I'll update throughout the day.

He calls to cut domestic discretionary funding to the lowest level in the modern era.

Trump's budget reimagines Americans' relationship with our govt, and proposes a country that does less to help people get by.

I know this OMB is busy with its unlawful impoundments & apportionments blocking spending appropriated by Congress and spending $ that hasn't been appropriated. But it still hasn't produced a complete President's budget with both mandatory & discretionary spending with all tables and appendices.

Like last year the fiscal year 2027 budget doesn't include mandatory spending proposals, only discretionary spending proposals including further massive cuts to non-defense discretionary spending. So it doesn't indicate the #Medicaid cuts Trump Admin wants to add in budget reconciliation 2.0.

Again: no one should take at face value Trump Admin's claims it just wants to curb #Medicaid fraud. Actual goals: (1) punishing politically disfavored states (2) justifying the largest Medicaid cuts in history in H.R. 1 and (3) justifying further Medicaid cuts including in budget reconciliation 2.0.

§90007 can be used to reimburse "costs incurred in undertaking activities in support of [DHS]’s mission to safeguard the borders of the United States."

The admin is saying that TSA, FEMA, etc. count, which, lol. A future D president could use that same ludicrous stretch to cover climate activities.

Trump Admin continues to ignore Congress' power of the purse. It has been unlawfully impounding or blocking spending appropriated by Congress, and in this case and with earlier TSA worker pay spend money that has not been appropriated. Article doesn't mention what authority Admin is citing to do so.

Graphic showing what percentage of Americans believe "too little money" is spent by the government on health care including Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act.

Per Navigator polling, 54%-58% of Americans want more spending on health care including on #Medicaid: navigatorresearch.org/americans-wa...

A bar chart titled "Heading Into This Year’s Midterm Elections, Health Care Costs Are Voters’ Top Economic Concern." It shows survey results from voters on their financial worries. Categories include "Health care," "Food and groceries," "Monthly utility bills," and "Gasoline or other transportation costs." Each category is divided into four voter groups: Total voters, Democrats, Independents, and Republicans. The chart highlights that 31% of total voters are very worried about health care costs, with Democrats at 33%, Independents at 36%, and Republicans at 25%. The source of the data is the KFF Health Tracking Poll.

KFF is tracking the role of health care in the midterms over the coming months.

Here’s what KFF’s polling, exit polls, and other data show about health care as an election issue currently and historically: https://on.kff.org/4sflEjU

In a radical statement, President Trump endorses shifting #Medicaid *and* Medicare completely to the states saying the federal government shouldn’t pay for either and they are little scams. The federal government currently picks up about 65% of states’ Medicaid costs on average and all of Medicare.

Families Defend Disability Services Amid Medicaid Cuts - KFF Health News Idaho is positioning to slash Medicaid funding as state lawmakers grapple with the effects of the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which President Donald Trump signed into law last year. On the tab...

Idaho Gov. Brad Little signed a bill last week that will cut nearly $22 million to Medicaid disability services. The changes will lower reimbursement for caregivers.

Families warn the cuts could be catastrophic.

@realbrambo.bsky.social reports ⤵️

At a March 24 panel, CMS Administrator Dr. Oz claimed that “the real problem [with] Medicaid--let's be clear--is not too many hernia operations. The real problem in Medicaid is that we are paying for things that your family used to do for you.” 🧵 #ProtectMedicaid #HCBS

Gallup poll on concerns about domestic issues. 61% worry a "great deal" about availability and affordability of healthcare.

Gallup poll: Healthcare Reclaims Top Spot Among U.S. Domestic Worries news.gallup.com/poll/707732/...

ICE and War Funding Can Now Become the Latest Excuse to Gut the Social Safety Net Congressional Republicans have been musing about the possibility of a second reconciliation...

The reality is, a possible second reconciliation bill will become a vehicle for more social safety net cuts — which Republican lawmakers will spin as necessary as they hide behind the made up need to offset spending on other priorities, experts tell TPM.

States are Beginning to Grapple with Federal Medicaid Cuts Impact on Rural Health Care Over the past week more national media outlets published articles on the effects of federal cuts to health care passed last year by Congress and signed into law by President Trump in H.R. 1, “The One ...

From my colleague Adam Searing: States are Beginning to Grapple with Federal Medicaid Cuts Impact on Rural Health Care ccf.georgetown.edu/2026/03/31/s...