Congressman Ami Bera (D-CA), a member of the Democratic Doctors Caucus, joined "Forbes Newsroom" to discuss President Trump's budget proposal.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00And that's what Republican members of Congress have told me, that we're not touching Medicaid specifically, we're just going after waste, fraud, and abuse.
00:07And I want to read you something that the House Energy and Commerce Committee posted today.
00:11Quote, while Democrats fearmonger, Republicans are planning to strengthen, sustain, and secure Medicaid for generations to come.
00:18House Commerce Republicans are rooting out the waste, fraud, and abuse to ensure Medicaid funds go to those who truly need it.
00:23Mothers, children, seniors, and people with disabilities, non-illegal immigrants, or ineligible individuals.
00:30We make no apologies for prioritizing those Americans whom Medicaid was designed to serve.
00:35What do you make of their message there?
00:38You know, I think that's a political message.
00:41These Republican members who are going to take this vote and then go vote for re-election are going to have to face their voters.
00:49If those voters lost their coverage, lost their health care, if that rural hospital closed, they're going to have some explaining to do.
00:56And, again, they're going to be asked, why did you take that vote?
00:59Why did you take my health care away?
01:01Why did you do that in order to give a tax break to the wealthiest Americans?
01:05So they'll have to live by this vote.
01:08And, you know, I hope they're right.
01:10I hope nobody loses coverage.
01:11I hope health care costs come down.
01:14I hope everyone has access to care.
01:16But that just doesn't seem to add up right now.
01:19I mean, where do you think Medicaid goes from here?
01:22I mean, what do you think is the most realistic option?
01:24Because as you and I talked about, Speaker Johnson in his party is in a really tough spot here,
01:30kind of dancing between more moderate Republicans on this as well as more hardline Republicans.
01:35So what do you think is next?
01:38I mean, this isn't going to happen.
01:40But I think what I'd love to see happen is if they don't have the votes, for them to come work with Democrats,
01:47that means we are going to have to give up on some things.
01:50We're going to have to maybe we do make some small changes to Medicaid without allowing it to lose coverage.
01:58Maybe we address the cost of prescription drugs, make health care more affordable.
02:01Maybe we work with the states on Medicare Advantage and other programs.
02:07There's things that we could do where we would negotiate it.
02:10And that's what I would say.
02:12This isn't great if all you do is pass a Republican-only bill,
02:16because then potentially when we get in the majority, we will undo a lot of that stuff and pass our own bill.
02:22That's just not a good way for the country to run.
02:24In your party, is there this shared willingness to go to Republicans and say,
02:30hey, we're willing to give up X, Y and Z if you change X, Y and Z about Medicaid?
02:36I mean, is that the plan right now?
02:38Yeah, I don't I don't think you'll get 200 Democrats,
02:41but I think you can get 60 or 70 Democrats to say, let's look at the regulatory environment.
02:46Let's look at some smart things to do.
02:49Maybe there there are ways to small ways to cut some of the reimbursement that goes back to the states,
02:55but don't do it in a dramatic way that's going to cause people to lose coverage.
02:59We've worked really hard to in California to get to almost universal coverage where everyone has access to care.
03:06And a big part of that is Medicaid.
03:09So that's a good thing.
03:11That's keeping people healthy.
03:13Don't take that away.
03:14But if we're going to change some of the benefits, then we'll work with you on that.
03:17Well, Congressman, I know that this conversation about President Trump's budget overall is going to continue.
03:24And I hope as it develops, you come back on and join me.
03:27Thank you for joining me.
03:28You're welcome back anytime.
03:30Great.
03:30Thanks for having me on.
03:31Be well.