Medicaid

Andy Slavitt was acting administrator of the the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services until January. He calls the new Senate health care bill "the ugly step-sibling" of the House bill.

Senate Republicans are calling their health care bill the Better Care Reconciliation Act. It shares many provisions with the House's American Health Care Act, but goes further in cutting Medicaid.

Job-coaching and other support services that enable many adults to live in the community instead of institutions will likely be curtailed if the GOP plan to shrink Medicaid becomes law.

Families with income that varies from month to month can find it hard to maintain enrollment in Texas' Medicaid program. The question is whether the program trims waste or creates more red tape.

The Nevada legislature has passed a bill that would allow anyone without health insurance in the state to buy into the Medicaid program, regardless of income. It's awaiting the governor's signature.

Expanding Medicaid has helped many people caught up in the opioid epidemic get treatment. But doctors say the proposed Republican changes to the Affordable Care Act could jeopardize these programs.

Evan Nodvin has lived on his own since after high school. But since he has Down syndrome, he does that with help from Medicaid. The Trump administration is threatening deep cuts to the program.

While Medicaid is best known as a health care program for poor people, more than 80 percent of its budget goes to care for elderly people, disabled people and children.

A survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that about half of adults now have a favorable view of the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, while one-third prefer the Republican alternative.

The administration's proposed budget would cut billions out of health programs at the NIH, CDC and FDA, as well as Medicaid services for children, the elderly and disabled.