Here’s the Truth About That Medicaid Chart the President Tweeted
President Trump’s personal Twitter account is often used for his missives against the people he’s at odds with, but his recent tweet showing a chart that claims to prove that the Democratic party lied about health care spending is getting a lot of attention. While many might take the chart at face value, the actual facts surrounding Medicaid spending show that the President’s tweet is misleading at best.
Democrats purposely misstated Medicaid under new Senate bill – actually goes up. pic.twitter.com/necCt4K6UH
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 28, 2017
Arguing that the Dems “purposely misstated” federal spending estimates for the health care program, what the GOP’s Better Care and Reconcilliation Act does is slash funding for particular programs while the overall population increases. So while the government may defund many medical expenses, leaving spending lower today, what the President is ignoring or not accounting for is our aging population, which would force spending to go up over time, even with GOP cuts.
Vox has pointed out that while the chart makes Medicaid spending look excessive, enacting the BCRA will also increase spending due to outside factors, such as inflation and the aforementioned population shift.
Looking solely at dollars spent does not give the overall picture of how Medicaid funding is being distributed to the Americans that need it, which is why the President’s chart doesn’t tell the whole story. It also serves as a solid reminder to keep ourselves informed and engaged about the issues that affect us and our loved ones.
Have you been affected by any funding cuts this year? Tell us @BritandCo!
(h/t HelloGiggles; photo via Getty)