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POLICY INSIGHT
BEYOND THE NUMBERS

In Case You Missed It…

| By CBPP

This week at CBPP, we focused on the federal budget and taxes, health care, and poverty and inequality.

  • On the federal budget and taxes, Chuck Marr and Chye-Ching Huang found that three major Republican tax proposals — the repeal of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the tax plan that President-elect Trump proposed, and the House GOP’s “Better Way” tax plan, all fail the standard for tax policy put forward by Treasury Secretary nominee Steve Mnuchin in an interview with CNBC. Emily Horton reported that Mnuchin emphasized in his confirmation hearing the importance of sufficiently funding IRS staff and providing resources to protect privacy and perform customer service functions. Chloe Cho pointed out that only 50 small businesses and family farms in the United States will face any estate tax in 2017. Richard Kogan reported that adding a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution would pose economic harm and threaten the operation of Social Security and other vital federal programs. Michael Leachman and David A. Super gave several reasons why states should be wary of calling for conventions to amend the Constitution.
  • On health care, Sarah Lueck explained that repealing the ACA would destabilize states’ individual health insurance markets, despite claims made by congressional Republicans that they are already near collapse or in a “death spiral.” Jesse Cross-Call cited a new report from Ohio’s Medicaid agency showing that Medicaid expansion has led to dramatic improvements in health coverage, financial well-being, and job prospects for its residents. Edwin Park summarized a report by the Congressional Budget Office that found that repealing the ACA would cause 32 million people to lose coverage. Judith Solomon’s analysis of President-elect Trump, House Speaker Paul Ryan, and Health and Human Services Secretary nominee Tom Price’s proposals for restructuring Medicaid into a block grant or “per capita cap” showed that these reforms would dramatically reduce federal funding, give states the opportunity to cut, and stymie innovation as a result. Hannah Katch noted that a block grant or per capita cap would not be substitutes for the ACA’s Medicaid expansion.
  • On poverty and inequality, White House Council of Economic Advisers Chair Jason Furman spoke at our event on what works to fight poverty. He was followed by a panel discussion moderated by Washington Post columnist E.J. Dionne.

Chart of the week: Trump Tax Plan Gives Big Tax Cut to the Top

A variety of news outlets featured CBPP’s work and experts recently. Here are some highlights:


Mnuchin’s Promise to Not Cut Taxes for the Rich Is a Giant Farce
The American Prospect
January 18, 2017


America’s Great Working-Class Colleges
The New York Times
January 18, 2017


The Obamacare Repeal Sweepstakes Winners Are The Millionaires And Billionaires In Trump's Cabinet
Daily Kos
January 17, 2017

 

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