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Southern Arizona U.S. Rep. Juan Ciscomani (R) is expressing reservations over a Republican budget blueprint that could result in significant cost shifts from the federal government to Arizona and negatively affect the state鈥檚 Medicaid program, known as AHCCCS, or the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System. 

What Ciscomani said

The Congressman joined seven fellow Republicans in a joint letter to Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA). 

鈥淎s we consider reconciliation cuts, we must be strategic. We need to uphold fiscal responsibility while ensuring that essential programs鈥攑rograms that have empowered Americans to succeed鈥攁re not caught in the crossfire,鈥� the congressmen wrote. 鈥淭he House Budget Resolution proposed $880 billion in cuts to programs under the jurisdiction of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, with Medicaid expected to bear the brunt of these reductions.鈥�

The letter also expressed concerns about the Pell Grant and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). SNAP provides food assistance for low-income American families. 

At the same time, the congressmen reaffirmed their support for improving communication systems, completing the border wall, ending so-called catch-and-release immigration policies, and reauthorizing the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017.

The 精品麻豆 weighs in

Arizona 精品麻豆 of Commerce & Industry President and CEO Danny Seiden said he was encouraged by Ciscomani鈥榮 willingness to point out the potential implications of a cost shift to the state.

鈥淲e all want to ensure that Medicaid is efficiently run, is accountable to taxpayers, and is covering those who need it most,鈥� Seiden said. 鈥淏ut some of the scenarios being discussed in Washington would shift potentially billions in costs to states, including Arizona. States can鈥檛 print money, so the options available to state lawmakers in the face of deep federal cuts are only bad ones, and they鈥檇 ripple across the entire economy.鈥�

What鈥檚 next

Speaker Johnson says he is planning to attempt to pass a budget blueprint in his chamber this week, despite the lack of certainty that he has the votes.

The Senate last week passed its own budget resolution, which focused on border security and energy measures. The Senate is going to pursue a two-bill budget track, leaving decisions over extensions of the expiring portions of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act for a second bill later this year.

President Donald Trump has given mixed messages over his preferred strategy. Last week he said he preferred the House鈥檚 one-bill strategy, but then backed off that slightly by Friday, saying he was open to the Senate plan as well.

Potential changes to Medicaid

鈥淪lashing Medicaid would have serious consequences, particularly in rural and predominantly Hispanic communities where hospitals and nursing homes are already struggling to keep their doors open,鈥� the representatives wrote. 鈥淢oreover, the possibility of cutting Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) funding threatens hospitals that serve low-income and uninsured patients.鈥� 

The current federal match rate covers 90% of the costs for Medicaid enrollees whose income is between 100% and 133% of the federal poverty level, while the state is responsible for the remaining 10%. Decreasing the federal match rate would place more financial burden on each individual state and lead to less coverage for Americans.

Work requirements, another potential change, would condition coverage for some enrollees on working or volunteering a minimum number of hours each month. Arizona adopted a work requirement in 2015. The Hobbs administration is from the public on its latest work requirement plan that it will submit to the federal government. 

Other possible changes, including a cap on total funds to states, have also been proposed. 

Currently, AHCCCS covers more than 2 million Arizonans.