WASHINGTON, D.C. (NEXSTAR) — Democrats claim President Donald Trump’s proposed budget means fewer healthcare options for millions of Americans, including those most at risk.
The administration said the proposed cuts aim to make paying for healthcare more efficient.
The proposed budget cuts Medicare and Medicaid spending by hundreds of billions of dollars over the next decade cuts Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) said puts millions at risk.
“The Trump health care agenda creates hundreds of cracks in the safety net that vulnerable Americans are going to fall through,” Wyden said.
Washington Sen. Patty Murry said the president’s proposal continues his efforts to limit options for at-risk Americans.
“We’ve now had three years of this president making and breaking promises of health care at every single turn and jeopardizing people’s coverage in the process,” Murry said.
Last week during his State of the Union address, Trump promised patients will be protected under his plan.
“We will always protect patients with pre-existing conditions, and we will always protect your Medicare and we will always protect your Social Security,” Trump said.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said this budget proposal goes directly against that.
“The president’s budget makes clear that his pledge at the State of the Union that he protect Americans with preexisting conditions is nothing less than a bald-faced lie,” Schumer said.
Democrats said the administration should explore making Medicare more flexible.
“Medicare should be able to negotiate group prices,” said Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI). “I mean, the VA does that for veterans and cuts prices about 40 percent.”
But if history is a guide, Congress’ final approved budget will look drastically different than what the president is currently proposing.
