Potential cuts to Medicaid are becoming one of the focal points for leaders in Montana, with the state's hospital association warning of its concerns about this proposal.
Rep. Troy Downing, R-Mont., a supporter of the bill and President Trump, believes many of the claims to be exaggerated.
Some estimates show that the One Big Beautiful bill will add $3.3 trillion over 10 years to the deficit.
“It's a false narrative that's based on faulty CBO estimates,” said Downing.
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The Congressman represents Montana's eastern House district and says the Congressional Budget Office's estimate is based on a one percent growth rate.
“If we get, which I think is entirely achievable, just a modest three percent growth, that's $4 trillion,” Downing said about the effect on the economy. “That cuts us actually to where we're reducing the deficit and not increasing it.”
One area of discussion for the bill has been Medicaid and some involved in the debate look at the cuts differently as far as helping or hurting those who rely on Medicaid.
“We are looking at one of the largest cuts to the U.S. health care system, roughly $1 trillion,” said Kathy Mack, Montana Hospital Association (MHA) senior vice-president of communications.
The MHA represents all 80 hospitals in Montana and Mack says one in three Montanans relies on Medicaid.
“Some of the provisions in the federal bill will introduce new requirements and new policies and procedures for those individuals to maintain coverage,” Mack said. “Our hope is that people who are eligible for it, don't lose it.”
Mack says a lot of the financing mechanisms for the Montana Medicaid program will remain intact.
Downing says the cuts are not to those who need Medicaid.
“We're supporting those programs that Montanans depend on, making sure that we're cutting fraud, waste, and abuse,” Downing said. “But we're getting folks, that are entitled to those benefits, making sure that we're protecting them.”
Downing says focusing on cutting fraud helps many in Montana.
“It's not just important to the Montana insurers that depend on those programs,” Downing said. “It's important to our rural healthcare. It's important to our hospital systems.”
Mack says hospitals rely on Medicaid payments and if those are lost, it could affect everyone.
“It puts a lot of pressure on health care providers and especially hospitals who continue to provide that care but no longer getting paid for it,” Mack said.
Downing says the bill helps the agriculture, oil, coal, and timber industries, lowers other taxes and makes the country more secure.
“Here's our opportunity to supercharge the American economy,” Downing said. “Make sure that we're doing everything that we promised when we were running, everything that President Trump promised when he was running. And I think that this is a really good bill.”
