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Sixteen House Republicans June 24 sent a to House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., urging them to support the House-passed version of the (H.R. 1) (). The representatives wrote in favor of the Medicaid provisions in the House budget reconciliation bill, as opposed to the legislation released by the Senate Finance Committee June 16 that further reduced Medicaid funding.   

“The House’s approach reflects a more pragmatic and compassionate standard, and we urge that it be retained in the final bill,” the representatives wrote. “The Senate proposal also undermines the balanced approach taken to craft the Medicaid provisions in H.R. 1 — particularly regarding provider taxes and state directed payments. The Senate version treats expansion and non-expansion states unfairly, fails to preserve existing state programs, and imposes stricter limits that do not give hospitals sufficient time to adjust to new budgetary constraints or to identify alternative funding sources.”