House budget plan clears committee, could go to floor next week

The House Budget Committee today voted 22-13 along party lines to pass a fiscal year 2016 budget plan, which the full House could consider next week. The proposal would reduce Medicare spending by $148 billion and Medicaid and other health care spending by $913 billion over 10 years. It would repeal the Affordable Care Act, including the Independent Payment Advisory Board charged with making coverage decisions on Medicare; create and implement a “premium support” Medicare model, allowing beneficiaries to remain in “traditional Medicare” or transition to the new model; combine Medicare Parts A and B to create a single deductible for seniors; make reforms to medical liability laws to curb frivolous lawsuits; and repeal the Medicare physician sustainable growth rate formula. In addition, the House proposal would repeal Medicaid expansion under the ACA; create a block grant program giving states flexibility to tailor the Medicaid program to their communities; and unify Medicaid and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program into a single program. The Senate Budget Committee was expected to vote on its budget plan later today.