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House Republicans on Wednesday unveiled a broad outline of their plans for the federal budget, using cuts to social programs to help pay for trillions of dollars in tax cuts. The budget outline indicates Republicans are planning $4.5 trillion in tax cuts over ten years. Spending cuts would offset part of that cost, but only part, so that meeting the blueprint’s goals would add trillions of dollars to the country’s deficit. The document doesn’t specify exactly what programs to cut. But analysts say the clear implication is that Republicans are looking for deep reductions in programs like Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, both of which serve low-income Americans, given the GOP ruling out cuts to Medicare or Social Security. (Cohn, Delaney and Bobic, 2/12)

It was always going to be tough for House Energy and Commerce Chair Brett Guthrie to rally his members around cuts to Medicaid; his job could soon get even harder. The House GOP budget blueprint unveiled Wednesday would direct several congressional committees to achieve at least $1.5 trillion in spending cuts across programs under their panels’ purviews — necessary to offset a party-line, budget reconciliation bill to enact President Donald Trump’s domestic agenda. ... The bulk of those savings would have to come from making changes to Medicaid, which currently insures more than 70 million Americans. And, in an interview Wednesday, Guthrie acknowledged that one major savings option probably won’t have the support to pass the House. (Leonard, 2/12)

Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters Wednesday evening that he’s not planning to make changes to his budget plan, despite hard-liner demands for deeper spending cuts and other adjustments. Several hard-liners on the Budget Committee told GOP leaders Wednesday they want at least $500 billion more in guaranteed spending cuts and a series of other changes. The current budget resolution, which leaders are hoping to pass through the committee Thursday, includes a minimum of $1.5 trillion in spending cuts. (Hill, 2/12)

Democrats and Republicans on the House Ways & Means Health Subcommittee appeared to hold two different hearings Tuesday on improving healthcare -- or at least it might have seemed that way to anyone watching the event. (Frieden, 2/12)

By one vote, the Idaho House Health and Welfare Committee on Wednesday advanced a bill critics said would repeal Medicaid expansion. House Bill 138, by Rep. Jordan Redman, R-Coeur d’Alene, requires Idaho to enact 11 Medicaid policy changes or repeal Medicaid expansion — a policy that lets more low-income Idahoans be eligible for the health insurance assistance program. If any of those policies aren’t in effect by July 2026, the bill would repeal Medicaid expansion, a law passed in 2018 by nearly 61% of Idaho voters. (Pfannenstiel, 2/12)

Members of the Wisconsin Senate Health Committee expressed support on Wednesday for a bill that would extend Medicaid coverage for postpartum mothers to a year after the birth of a child. Typically, people in Wisconsin are only eligible for Medicaid coverage if they make up to 100% of the federal poverty level, but pregnant women can receive Medicaid coverage in Wisconsin if they have an annual income of up to 306% of the federal poverty level. While a newborn whose mother is a Medicaid recipient receives a year of coverage, mothers risk losing their coverage after 60 days if they don’t otherwise qualify for Medicaid. The bill — SB 23 — seeks to change this by extending Medicaid coverage for postpartum mothers from 60 days to a full year after childbirth.  (Spears, 2/13)

Unscrupulous insurance marketers vexed by a federal push against Medicare Advantage fraud found a more hospitable environment on the health insurance exchanges, brokers say. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services implemented regulations earlier this decade to address concerns that beneficiaries shopping for private Medicare plans were being misled and victimized. Meanwhile, health insurers became more bullish about the growing marketplaces, and leading carriers began offering commissions for exchange plan sales, making this market more attractive to brokers and other third-party marketing firms. (Tepper, 2/12)

The U.S. agency that oversees Medicare is taking out questions on enrollment application forms that ask people about their sexual orientation and gender identity. (Herman, 2/12)