U.S. Senator Joni Ernst held her first in-person town hall meeting of the year and many in the crowd in Parkersburg today raised concerns about the “Big Beautiful Bill” that passed the House and is under consideration in the U.S. Senate.
The Congressional Budget Office estimates the bill would cut over $700 billion from Medicaid over the next ten years. Ernst said the goal is to make sure people who are not eligible for Medicaid benefits aren’t getting them.
“Illegals that are receiving Medicaid benefits, 1.4 million, they are not eligible so they will be coming off,” Ernst said.
People in the audience began shouting, and one yelled that people are doing to die. Ernst responded: “Well, we all are going to die, for heaven sakes.”
Ernst told the crowd Republicans intend to return to the original rules for Medicaid. “Medicaid is extremely important here in the state of Iowa,” Ernst said. “…Those that are not eligible, those that are working and have opportunity for benefits elsewhere, then they should receive those benefits elsewhere and leave those dollars for those that are eligible for Medicaid.”
Ernst indicated she agrees with “most” of the House provisions on Medicaid, but she did not comment today on the section of the bill that would establish work requirements for able bodied Medicaid recipients. Ernst told the crowd in Parkersburg senators would eliminate some policy items in the “Big Beautiful Bill.” That’s because Senate rules only allow spending related matters to pass by a 51 vote margin. Bills that include policy are subject to the senate’s 60 vote filibuster rule.