The program, funded jointly by federal and state governments, covers one in five Americans. It cost the federal government $618 billion last year, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, making it the third largest line item after the Medicare program for older Americans and the Social Security retirement program.
Some Republicans think adequate spending cuts can be achieved only by overhauling Medicaid, vowing to improve the program rather than cut benefits. Others would rather see social safety net programs preserved - especially at a time of a growing recession risk.
Senator Ron Wyden, top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, said Trump talked often about helping the middle class while on the campaign trail. “When the campaign is over, they’re back to helping people at the top and paying for it by sticking it to folks of modest means,” said the Oregon Democrat. He described the Republican tax-cutting plans "back to supercharging trickle-down.”