GOP Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick claims he is “firmly committed to protecting” Medicaid. But when the opportunity arose to join a dozen of his Republican Congressional colleagues who signed a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson stating they would not support a final GOP budget that guts Medicaid, Fitzpatrick’s signature was conspicuously missing.
His lone Democratic challenger thus far, Bucks County Commissioner Bob Harvie, wasted no time calling out Pennsylvania First Congressional District’s incumbent.
“If there are $880 billion dollars of Medicaid cuts being proposed, you would not have had to ask me to sign onto the letter, I would have written it myself,” said Harvie. “Where are we going as a country when our elected representatives want to cut vital healthcare for children and senior citizens just to give Donald Trump’s billionaire buddies a tax cut?”
In order to pay for $4.5 trillion in massive tax breaks for the country’s wealthiest Americans – like Elon Musk – experts have estimated this GOP-budget will necessitate up to $880 billion in cuts to Medicaid. Even the Bucks County Courier Times, which for years has given Fitzpatrick a pass on his votes in Congress, has just reported this.
His 12 Republican colleagues from swing districts however see the writing on the wall – and unlike Fitzpatrick have the courage of their convictions.
Even though the GOP budget doesn’t specifically mention Medicaid, something Fitzpatrick cynically likes to bring up, it’s mathematically impossible to make the spending cuts in order to pay for the massive tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires without significant cuts to the social program, as the Center for American Progress (CAP) notes. According to their calculations, this budget bill will reduce spending for Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program locally by $1.31 billion over 9 years and result in 25,000 of his constituents being dropped from the rolls in these two programs. And it will decimate funding for nursing homes and home care in Bucks County.
The letter Fitzpatrick refused to sign states:
“We cannot and will not support a final reconciliation bill that includes any reduction in Medicaid coverage for vulnerable populations. Cuts to Medicaid also threaten the viability of hospitals, nursing homes, and safety-net providers nationwide. Many hospitals — particularly in rural and underserved areas—rely heavily on Medicaid funding, with some receivi ng over half their revenue from the program alone. Providers in these areas are especially at risk of closure, with many unable to recover. When hospitals close, it affects all constituents, regardless of healthcare coverage.”
But Fitzpatrick apparently “cannot and will not” defend Medicaid publicly or exert any pressure on GOP leadership. He could threaten to withhold his vote like his colleagues just did, but he won’t.
Actions speak louder than words.
