Trump Once Again Breaks Campaign Promise, Threatens Seniors and the Poor By Slashing Funding for Social Safety Net in 2021 Budget Proposal

Today Trump proposed slashing social safety net programs in his 2021 budget, including Medicaid, Medicare, and food stamps. This is another one of Trump’s broken promises. Trump vowed to “Save Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security without cuts” during his presidential announcement speech in 2015.

This issue is personal to so many Floridians: Medicaid covers over 40% of all children and 1 in 9 adults in the Sunshine State. This move also hurts seniors: Medicaid covers more than half of nursing home residents. Americans are already paying the highest prices for prescription drugs in the world, making this safety net incredibly important.

FDP Chair Terrie Rizzo released the following statement in response:

“Health care is the number one issue for Floridians and if Trump thinks he can get away with threatening Medicaid and Medicare without intense backlash at the ballot box, he’s in for a rude awakening in 2020.”

BACKGROUND ON TRUMP’S 2021 BUDGET

Trump’s budget proposes billions in cuts to the safety net
Wall Street Journal: “The White House proposes to cut spending by $4.4 trillion over a decade. Of that, it targets $2 trillion in savings from mandatory spending programs, including $130 billion from changes to Medicare prescription-drug pricing, $292 billion from safety-net cuts—such as work requirements for Medicaid and food stamps—and $70 billion from tightening eligibility access to disability benefits.”

This isn’t the first time Trump has proposed cut to the safety net
VOX: “That Trump is proposing cuts to these programs isn’t surprising — his 2020 budget cut all three as well. It’s a long-running contradiction for the president. He often says he won’t touch these entitlement programs, but he’s continued to employ Republican party officials who make cutting these programs center to their work.”

BACKGROUND ON MEDICAID & MEDICARE IN FLORIDA

Kaiser Family Foundation: “19% Of FL Population Is Covered By Medicaid/CHIP.” [Medicaid In Florida, Kaiser Family Foundation, October 2019]

• In Florida, Medicaid Covers 4 Of Every 7 Nursing Home Residents. [Medicaid In Florida, Kaiser Family Foundation, October 2019]
• “51% Of Children With Special Health Care Needs Are Covered By Medicaid In FL.” [Medicaid In Florida, Kaiser Family Foundation, October 2019]

Kaiser Family Foundation: In 2018,21% of Florida’s population are Medicare Beneficiaries