ALERT: The House Reconciliation Bill Makes Poor People - Especially ChildrenPay the Price
ACCORDING TO THE CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE:
75% of the $12 billion in savings come from provisions affecting beneficiaries.
Half of beneficiaries affected by new cost sharing requirements are children.
80% of the savings from cost sharing comes from decreased use of health servicesnot payment of the cost sharing itself.
20% of the savings from cost sharing comes from lower payments to Medicaid-participating health care providers (who are already providing services for reduced payments).
25% of the savings from a new requirement that beneficiaries pay premiums will comes from individuals no longer being able to afford Medicaid coverage.
THE CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE ESTIMATES THAT:
Half of those affected by reduced benefit packages will be children.
Most of the service reductions in the benefit packages affect:
mental health
dental
vision
certain therapies (could also include possible restrictions on the amount, duration, and scope of coverage of other services).
Source: Congressional Budget Office,"Additional Information on CBO's Estimate for the Medicaid Provisions in H.R. 4241, the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005," November 9, 2005.