Luke Vargas

But with big Medicaid cuts being debated on Capitol Hill, could the U.S. healthcare landscape be in for a shock? Let's get right to it. The federal government spends about $600 billion annually on Medicaid.

But with big Medicaid cuts being debated on Capitol Hill, could the U.S. healthcare landscape be in for a shock? Let's get right to it. The federal government spends about $600 billion annually on Medicaid.

States help fund and manage the program, which provides health insurance for roughly 72 million people, or about one in five Americans, including children and people with low incomes or disabilities. And as you might have heard, some big changes to the program have been tossed around on Capitol Hill lately.

States help fund and manage the program, which provides health insurance for roughly 72 million people, or about one in five Americans, including children and people with low incomes or disabilities. And as you might have heard, some big changes to the program have been tossed around on Capitol Hill lately.

as congressional Republicans work to deliver a budget and tax cut bill in the coming months. We have got two excellent guests with us today to analyze the effects that those moves could have. But first, I want to play some comments from journal reporter Liz Esley White, who's been keeping a close eye on the range of proposals we've been hearing about in Washington. Here's Liz.

as congressional Republicans work to deliver a budget and tax cut bill in the coming months. We have got two excellent guests with us today to analyze the effects that those moves could have. But first, I want to play some comments from journal reporter Liz Esley White, who's been keeping a close eye on the range of proposals we've been hearing about in Washington. Here's Liz.

So let's go through some of these potential changes we could see. Journal reporter Ana Wildey-Matthews covers health insurance. And also with us is Larry Levitt, the executive vice president for health policy at the nonprofit health policy research and polling organization KFF. Larry, let me start with you. You've been at KFF for 28 years, watching all of this in Capitol Hill and so much else.

So let's go through some of these potential changes we could see. Journal reporter Ana Wildey-Matthews covers health insurance. And also with us is Larry Levitt, the executive vice president for health policy at the nonprofit health policy research and polling organization KFF. Larry, let me start with you. You've been at KFF for 28 years, watching all of this in Capitol Hill and so much else.

Starting with work requirements, a proposal that maybe seems to be on the more feasible end of the spectrum in D.C. right now. How many people could those changes affect?

Starting with work requirements, a proposal that maybe seems to be on the more feasible end of the spectrum in D.C. right now. How many people could those changes affect?

Ana, do you have anything to say on work requirements?

Ana, do you have anything to say on work requirements?

A good reminder, Congress is not operating in isolation here. Let's shift to the constellation of options that reduce what the federal government contributes to Medicaid funding. And Ana, I understand this is where things get pretty delicate pretty quickly and where moves taken at a national level could have a huge impact at the state level.

A good reminder, Congress is not operating in isolation here. Let's shift to the constellation of options that reduce what the federal government contributes to Medicaid funding. And Ana, I understand this is where things get pretty delicate pretty quickly and where moves taken at a national level could have a huge impact at the state level.

We've got to take a very short break, but when we come back, we'll look at how potential changes to federal Medicaid funding could ripple out to change the nature of health care that people receive. That and look at some other areas of potential reform that might be palatable to both sides of the aisle. Stay with us.

We've got to take a very short break, but when we come back, we'll look at how potential changes to federal Medicaid funding could ripple out to change the nature of health care that people receive. That and look at some other areas of potential reform that might be palatable to both sides of the aisle. Stay with us.

Well, before the break, we were talking about the state budget impact of steps to pull back federal funding of Medicaid and how that could trigger an outright unwinding of the Medicaid expansion that happened as a result of the passage of the Affordable Care Act.

Well, before the break, we were talking about the state budget impact of steps to pull back federal funding of Medicaid and how that could trigger an outright unwinding of the Medicaid expansion that happened as a result of the passage of the Affordable Care Act.

But we also heard from a number of listeners very curious about how either they or people they care about or work with could be affected by changes to Medicaid. And let's play a selection of those from Richard Rosenblum in Boston, Sarah Akamazo in Oakland, and Mark Holliday in Denver.

But we also heard from a number of listeners very curious about how either they or people they care about or work with could be affected by changes to Medicaid. And let's play a selection of those from Richard Rosenblum in Boston, Sarah Akamazo in Oakland, and Mark Holliday in Denver.