House To Vote On GOP Blueprint To Trim $6 Billion In Spending
The fiscal framework relies on cuts to Medicaid as well as a revamp of the Medicare program. Meanwhile, reaction continues regarding the budget outline unveiled earlier in the week by President Obama.
The Associated Press: House Prepares To Vote On $6 Billion Spending Cut Plan
A bold but politically risky plan to cut billions of dollars from the federal budget is coming to a House vote, with insurgent Republicans rallying behind the idea of fundamentally reshaping the government's role in health care for the elderly and the poor (Taylor, 4/15).
The Washington Post: Echoes Of '80s Failure In Obama's Fail-Safe Budget Plan
In the speech, which outlined a plan to reduce deficits by $4 trillion in 12 years, Obama called for cutting domestic and defense spending, raising taxes on the rich and boosting savings in government health insurance programs. The fail-safe would kick in if he and Congress don't act, hiking taxes and cutting the budget but sparing Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security and poverty programs. Some experts lauded Obama for suggesting serious steps to try to rein in the debt. But they said not all his ideas are achievable in areas including health savings, taxes and cuts to defense and mandatory spending (Goldfarb and Tumulty, 4/14).
The Wall Street Journal: White House Medicare Savings Outlined
President Barack Obama on Wednesday outlined a plan to cut $480 billion by 2023 from the U.S. government's health care programs for the elderly and poor, drawing a sharp line of disagreement with House Republican leaders over how to rein in the burgeoning costs of medical care (Adamy, 4/14).
NPR: Rep. Ryan Defends GOP Proposals For Medicare, Tax Rate Cuts In NPR Interview
Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI), chairman of the House Budget Committee and author of the 2012 budget plan that would, among other things, privatize Medicare, defended his proposal on All Things Considered Thursday (James, 4/14).