January 11,2018

Press Contact:

Taylor Harvey: 202-224-4515

Wyden Statement on CMS Announcement of Medicaid Waiver Changes

Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today issued a statement following an announcement from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) regarding the agency’s openness to approving state Medicaid waivers that would put up new barriers to enrolling in the program:

“The vast majority of Americans in Medicaid either already have a job, if not two or three, or are unable to work due to age or impairment. This action by the Trump administration goes after people who are just trying to get by while taking care of their kids or elderly parents, struggling with a chronic condition, or going to school,” Wyden said. “I’ve long said if you or your family don’t have your health, everything else falls to the wayside – including the ability to find and keep steady work. Health care is a right that shouldn’t be contingent on the ideological agendas of politicians – today the Trump administration has taken a big step in the wrong direction." 

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