Medicaid Faces Uncertain Future as Republicans Target Program Under Trump Administration

Medicaid’s role in American healthcare is substantial. It supports nearly half of all children in the U.S., covers significant portions of mental health and nursing home care, and plays a vital part in managing chronic conditions. By Stacy M. Brown Medicaid, a critical lifeline for millions of Americans, faces an uncertain future as Republicans prepare to take control of Washington. The program, along with the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), provides health and long-term care coverage to 80 million low-income children, pregnant women, adults, seniors, and people with disabilities, is under scrutiny with proposed funding cuts and new eligibility requirements. In Washington, D.C., Medicaid and CHIP collectively covered 260,218 residents as of June 2024, with total spending reaching $4.2 billion in fiscal year 2022. The federal government accounted for 78.2% of these costs. Since pandemic-era continuous enrollment provisions ended in March 2023, the District has disenrolled 67,619 individuals, even as total enrollment remains 7.7% higher than pre-pandemic levels. These numbers reflect growing pressures on state budgets and federal support. Nationally, Medicaid’s expansion under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) added 23 million people to its rolls, but that growth has made it a target for Republican lawmakers. With President-elect Donald Trump...