Health Care
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Health Care
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Catholics call on Congress to protect Medicaid |
The three largest Catholic organizations in the country are urging Congress not to cut Medicaid to pay for their reconciliation bill that aims to drive much of President Trump’s agenda. |
In a letter sent to bipartisan leaders in the House and Senate, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Catholic Health Association, and Catholic Charities urged lawmakers to protect and strengthen Medicaid as a matter of faith.
“The Catholic Church teaches that human life is sacred, and all people have inherent dignity and worth. As Catholic bishops and organizations that provide health care and social services on behalf of the Church, we firmly believe that all people have the right to those necessities needed to live, found a family and flourish,” the organizations wrote. “As you address reconciliation priorities, we urge you to prioritize those most in need and working families and protect the Medicaid program.”
House Republicans are debating how deep they need to cut to pay for an extension of President Trump’s tax cuts and border enforcement funding, and how much political backlash they can endure. One of the prime targets is Medicaid, the joint federal and state-funded program that provides health coverage to more than 72 million low-income Americans. Republicans see Medicaid as a program rife with fraud and abuse, and have long sought to rein in its spending.
The House Energy and Commerce Committee, which has jurisdiction over Medicaid, has been tasked with slashing $880 billion.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said this week in a CNN interview that some of the steepest potential cuts, like a change that would cap federal payments based on population rather than the current open-ended entitlement, are off the table. He left the door open to reducing the enhanced federal match for Medicaid expansion states and enthusiastically endorsed work requirements. Work requirements may be the most politically palatable changes Republicans have discussed, but the Catholics pushed back on those as well.
“Weakening Medicaid through structural changes, such as per capita caps or block grants, would undermine these values and risk leaving millions without access to essential health services,” the organizations wrote. “Furthermore, policies like work reporting requirements have shown clear evidence of creating artificial barriers to care ... while doing little to support people looking for work.”
Any changes to Medicaid will likely face pushback from vulnerable Republicans in swing or blue districts. Roughly half (eight of the top 17) of the most vulnerable GOP House members in 2026 are Catholic, according to a Pew Research Center report on the religious composition of the 119th Congress. |
Welcome to The Hill’s Health Care newsletter, we’re Nathaniel Weixel, Joseph Choi and Alejandra O'Connell-Domenech — every week we follow the latest moves on how Washington impacts your health.
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How policy will be impacting the health care sector this week and beyond: |
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Fewer precancerous lesions are being found in young women undergoing cervical cancer screenings thanks to the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. Rates of precancerous lesions in women between the ages of 20 and 24 dropped by roughly 80 percent from 2008 to 2022, according to data published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. About 10,800 cases of cervical … |
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Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Friday released a policy prohibiting public comments during his department’s rulemaking process, ending more than 50 years of the public’s involvement in crafting his department’s rules. In the policy statement placed in the Federal Register, Kennedy’s office appeared to argue that rescinding the policy goes back to the original intent of the … |
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Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon (R) signed a new bill into law regulating surgical abortions in the state. Gordon signed House Bill 42 late Thursday night which adds “additional safety requirements” to surgical abortion facilities in Wyoming while the state’s “the state’s abortion prohibition is being considered by the Wyoming Supreme Court,” according to a statement from his office. Abortion is legal in Wyoming … |
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Health Next Summit | Wednesday, March 26 | 8:15 a.m. - noon ET | Washington, D.C. & streaming nationwide The first installment of The Hill's Health Next Summit will be held on March 26 as we deliver insights on President Trump's health care policies and agenda. Speakers include:
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Branch out with a different read: |
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Measles booster may be an option for some vaccinated adults |
A deadly measles outbreak in Texas has put the issue of vaccinations back in the spotlight and raises questions about whether inoculated adults need a measles booster. The answer? Maybe. People who were vaccinated against measles as a child are considered less likely to become infected with the highly contagious respiratory illness. Vaccinated adults who face greater exposure to measles, such as some health care professionals, … |
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Local and state headlines on health care: |
- New York City health clinic now asking for proof of citizenship, citing Trump (Politico)
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New Jersey cat dies of bird flu showing deadly disease’s creep (Bloomberg)
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Illinois health insurance provider ending coverage for hundreds of thousands of patients (The State Journal-Register)
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Health news we've flagged from other outlets: |
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WHO provides possible explanation for Congo mystery disease deaths after reporting spread of suspected cases (CBS)
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Measles cases reported in New Jersey, Kentucky as outbreak grows in Texas (ABC)
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Future of cancer coverage for women federal firefighters uncertain under Trump (KFF Health News)
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Most read stories on The Hill right now: |
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Efforts to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine were left in tatters following President Trump’s confrontational White House meeting with Ukrainian … Read more
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An astonishing scene played out in the Oval Office on Friday as President Trump and Vice President Vance got into a shouting match with Ukrainian President … Read more |
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You're all caught up. See you next week! |
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