The U.S. House voted last week to restrict eligibility for Medicaid, insurance exchanges and other aspects of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
The House approved H.R. 2576, 262-157, with the help of 26 Democrats and the support of the Obama administration.
The Congressional Budget Office has said as many as 1 million people could be affected by the restrictions, which, among other things, would include Social Security benefits as income in determining eligibility.
Opponents, including some Democrats, say the legislation ensures that taxpayer funds will not be used to enroll middle-class individuals into Medicaid, which they say is an abuse of the program’s mission to provide targeted assistance to those who are most in need of help.
White House support for H.R. 2576 is seen by many as an acknowledgement that the healthcare law passed last year overextended eligibility for government programs.
The bill now moves to the Senate, which may be more likely to put it up for a vote given the White House’s position. Read more