House Budget Chairman Releases FY 2019 Budget Proposal

House Budget Committee Chairman Steve Womack (R-AR) yesterday released a fiscal year 2019 budget plan that would balance the budget within nine years. The plan would cap non-defense discretionary spending at $597 billion and include reconciliation instructions for the Ways and Means and Energy and Commerce committees to achieve $150 billion and $20 billion in mandatory savings, respectively, over 10 years. The plan also proposes allowing private plans to compete with traditional Medicare; Medicaid per capita caps or block grants and work requirements for certain adults; and medical liability reforms. The House is not expected to pass significant reconciliation legislation given how late it is in the year and the upcoming November election.