More than a dozen Republican state legislators warned U.S. Rep. Tom Emmer and other Minnesota party members in Congress against making deep Medicaid cuts, writing in a pointed letter that “this is contrary to how we Republicans respect the aged and the vulnerable.”
“Just to emphasize what you already know, Medicaid includes services and care for the seniors and those with disabilities, not just health care for the poor. Additionally, nearly 50% of all Medicaid enrollees are children,” reads the letter signed by six GOP state senators and eight Republicans in the Minnesota House and sent last week.
“Given some of the large numbers coming out of Washington, we are concerned that there is no practical way to accommodate some of the proposed massive reductions and still provide the kind of care these vulnerable people require,” the letter continues.
Their warning comes as U.S. House Republicans voted to advance a budget package that includes $4.5 trillion in tax breaks and $2 trillion in spending cuts to government programs. Federal Medicaid cuts could worsen Minnesota’s already turbulent budget outlook; the state is projected to face a $5.1 billion deficit in the 2028-2029 fiscal cycle.
On Tuesday evening, Emmer and his fellow GOP House members, Pete Stauber, Michelle Fischbach and Brad Finstad, joined all but one Republican to advance the budget package, which passed 217-215 with all Democrats opposed.
The federal government is projected to spend roughly $11.3 billion on Minnesota’s Medicaid program in the current budget year, according to state reports.
“Drastic reductions to Medicaid funding have the potential to impact the 1.4 million people we serve and place incredible pressure on our overall state budget,” the state legislators wrote to Emmer, Stauber, Fischbach and Finstad.
Representatives for the four representatives did not respond to requests for comment Tuesday.
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