Watch live: Minnesota US Sen. Tina Smith speaks out against possible Medicaid cuts
Democratic Minnesota U.S. Sen. Tina Smith is speaking on Thursday against the Republican-backed plan that could cut $1.5 trillion in federal spending over the next decade, possibly impacting Medicaid.
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are concerned about potential cuts to the program which supports millions of low-income people and individuals with disabilities across the country.
How to watch
What: Smith calls out GOP plan that could cut Medicaid funding
Who: Smith, State Sen. Zaynab Mohamed and other advocates
Date: Feb. 27, 2025
Time: 11 a.m. CT
Location: Virtual press conference
Watch: Live on CBS News Minnesota, in the player above and on your mobile or streaming device.
The Minnesota Department of Human Services says 1.3 million Minnesotans are on Medicaid, and department leaders say the potential impacts are still unclear.
Minnesota receives $11.2 billion in Medicaid funding, and that is expected to increase to $14.5 billion by 2029.
The federal government covers just over half the costs associated with the program and nearly all of the associated costs for those who qualify under Medicaid expansion, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.
But under the proposed cuts, the Energy and Commerce Committee, which oversees Medicaid, is tasked with finding $880 billion in savings.
Fourteen Minnesota state senators and representatives wrote a letter to Republicans in the state's Congressional Delegation urging them to push back on any cuts, citing concerns about the impact. It reads in part: "There are no other sources to make up the lost federal share beyond severely impacting our seniors and those with disabilities who we serve. This is contrary to how we Republicans respect the aged and the vulnerable."
GOP U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson said even though Medicaid isn't specifically noted in the budget resolution, he didn't guarantee the program would be left untouched, saying cuts could be made targeting "fraud, waste and abuse." Other GOP leaders have said outright that Medicaid won't be affected.
© 2025 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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