A new study projects as many as 20 million people could lose Medicaid coverage under a Republican congressional bill to cut the Affordable Care Act’s Medicaid expansion match rate. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities found the bill includes tax cuts for the wealthy and businesses, paired with cuts on the programs that support low-income Americans. “There is a direct link between their desire to extend very expensive tax cuts for very wealthy people and the cuts they are putting on the table that will take health coverage and food assistance away from people that struggle to afford the basics,” says Sharon Parrott, president of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.

AMY GOODMAN: This is Democracy Now!, democracynow.org. I’m Amy Goodman, with Juan González.

In health news, a new study is projecting as many as 20 million people could lose Medicaid coverage under a Republican congressional bill to cut the Affordable Care Act’s Medicaid expansion match rate. Republicans are also pushing for work requirements for Medicaid recipients. The American Hospital Association has harshly criticized proposals to cut funding for Medicaid, saying, “Medicaid provides health care to many of our most vulnerable populations, including pregnant women, children, the elderly, disabled and many of our working class,” unquote.

We’re joined now by Sharon Parrott, president of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. She formerly worked at the Department of Health and Human Services and OMB, the Office of Management and Budget.

Sharon, if you can start off by talking about the significance of this congressional bill? I think what’s missing in all these national discussions is the true effect on people and how many people, what Medicaid — who it’s for.

SHARON PARROTT: Yeah, I couldn’t agree more. Thank you so much for having me this morning.

There are 72 million people in the United States that get health coverage through Medicaid. And there are many proposals moving through Congress that would take coverage away from potentially millions of people, leaving them without coverage.

And I want to drill down for just a moment on what it means to be without health coverage. When Medicaid is taken away, what does that mean? It means a parent who can’t get cancer treatment. It means a young adult, just starting out, who can’t get insulin to control their diabetes, just absolutely essential for them to be........

© Truthout