PathWays PA Policy Blog

We published our first blog post on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) on August 17, 2009 . Now, almost eight years later, the House of Representatives is set to vote on legislation that would repeal and replace the ACA with a new law - the American Health Care Act (AHCA). Here's what we know about the AHCA: It would make comprehensive changes to Medicaid : Additional money to states (such as Pennsylvania) that accepted Medicaid Expansion, which allows more people to get their insurance through Medicaid, would end. The entire funding mechanism for Medicaid would change, with states receiving a capped amount of funding regardless of how many people qualify for the program. Recent reports indicate that states may be able to impose a work requirement on "able-bodied individuals" applying for or using Medicaid. Under the AHCA, Medicaid could no longer be used at Planned Parenthood clinics. These clinics provide birth control, mammograms, and other types of reproductive care

From the NY Times  http://nyti.ms/2nIUEtp President Trump's budget plan released this morning shows sharp changes in spending compared to previous federal budgets, including the elimination of many programs for low-income people such as the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) , the Legal Services Corporation , and Community Services Block Grants . Other programs to be eliminated include the Corporation for National and Community Service , which runs AmeriCorps and other community service programs, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting ,  and more than 50 programs in the EPA . You can read a full list via  The Washington Post . Meanwhile, the  Department of Veterans Affairs , the  Department of Homeland Security , and the  Department of Defense  are all seeing increases in their budgets under the new plan. The full budget blueprint is available here . So what's next? Congress will begin holding hearings on the President's budget before drafting the