Johnson. Photo: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
Speaker Mike Johnson on Tuesday evening ruled out lowering the federal share of costs in Medicaid as part of the GOP's reconciliation package and signaled that per capita caps may be out as well.
Why it matters: Johnson's comments after emerging from an hours-long meeting with moderate GOP members signal leadership may be ready to discard two of the most controversial policy options that have been floated to generate savings for the tax package.
What they're saying: Johnson replied "yes" when asked by Axios if FMAP was off the table in the reconciliation bill.
- House GOP lawmakers had been weighing whether to lower the federal matching rate just for the expansion population, though the savings wouldn't have come close to hitting a $880 billion target.
- On per capita caps, the speaker said that, "I think we're ruling that out as well, but stay tuned."
- However, moderate lawmakers coming out of the meeting told reporters that per capita caps were still being discussed, though they expressed concerns with the policy.
- Johnson did confirm that Medicaid work requirements would be in the bill, though saying that "that'll be part of the bill, it always has been."
