BEYOND THE NUMBERS
In Case You Missed It . . .
This week at CBPP, we focused on Social Security and Medicare, health care, the federal budget and taxes, housing, and poverty and opportunity.
- On Social Security and Medicare, Paul Van de Water previewed the 2016 reports from the programs’ trustees. Upon the reports’ release, he observed that the financial outlook for both programs remains stable. He also listed reasons why repealing the Independent Payment Advisory Board, charged with developing ways to slow Medicare spending growth, would be unwise.
- On health care, Edwin Park previewed the House GOP health plan released this week. Upon its release, Robert Greenstein explained that the plan would undermine health reform’s coverage expansions and consumer protections, causing millions of Americans to lose coverage. Park and Judith Solomon added that the plan’s Medicaid funding changes would almost certainly lead states to cut Medicaid substantially over time.
Park also urged the House not to repeal limits on tax-advantaged health accounts or expand health tax shelters for high-income earners, and Tara Straw warned that the proposal to pay for those measures would harm many marketplace enrollees. Solomon also explained that Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin’s threat to cancel the state’s Medicaid expansion if the federal government doesn’t approve his new Medicaid proposals would put the health coverage of 400,000 Kentuckians at risk.
- On the federal budget and taxes, Richard Kogan testified before the House Budget Committee on making budget enforcement more effective. Chuck Marr previewed the House GOP tax plan.
- On housing, Will Fischer noted that federal housing spending favors well-off homeowners, despite growing costs for lower-income renters.
- On poverty and opportunity, Isaac Shapiro explained that a House bill undercutting efforts to expand broadband access for low-income households would make it harder for many to get ahead.
Chart of the Week: Federal Housing Expenditures Poorly Matched to Need
A variety of news outlets featured CBPP’s work and experts recently. Here are some highlights:
Social Security Still Isn’t Broke, New Report Confirms
Huffington Post
June 22, 2016
Still no comprehensive Obamacare alternative from House GOP, five years on
Los Angeles Times
June 22, 2016
"If the goal was to get rid of poverty, we failed": the legacy of the 1996 welfare reform
Vox
June 20, 2016
Don’t miss any of our posts, papers, or charts—follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
