Proposed House GOP Budget Would Slow Medicare, Medicaid

The House GOP's proposed FY 2012 budget, to be released Tuesday, would cut the federal deficit by more than $4 trillion over the next decade and slow Medicare and Medicaid spending, according to a report by Fox News.

The FY 2012 budget will come the year after the current FY 2011 budget, which Congress hasn't passed yet, instead opting for a series of stopgap resolutions to keep the government going. Congress is currently debating a budget proposal for the rest of FY 2011. If that fails to pass by this Friday, when the latest stopgap ends, the government would partially shut down.

House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) discussed the proposed FY 2012 budget on "Fox News Sunday." He said the proposed changes would not cut Medicare and Medicaid spending but would slow their rate of growth.

Mr. Ryan said the GOP plan would allow Medicare beneficiaries to buy insurance on the open market and cap out-of-pocket expenses. He acknowledged his "premium support system" would shift more costs to beneficiaries, including the wealthy.

For Medicaid, Mr. Ryan said he is proposing a system of block grants to each state, allowing states to "customize" coverage for the poor.

Mr. Ryan said the proposal would also cap on discretionary spending and limit growth of all spending to a percentage of GDP. He provided few details.

Read the Fox News report on healthcare spending.

Read more coverage of GOP proposals:

- Medicaid Block Grants for States Would Impact Healthcare


- GOP Leaders Make Plans to Defund Reform, Cut Medicare, Medicaid


- House GOP Chair Plans to Slash Discretionary Spending, Warns of More Cuts


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