Republicans have also discussed limiting Medicaid spending growth to the rate of medical inflation and limiting federal involvement to financial contributions with benefits defined by states.
"Medicaid needs to be looked at more systematically," said Tillis, who favors imposing work requirements on able-bodied adults.
"The concern that I have, that people say don't touch it, is they are literally creating a cliff for the beneficiaries who need it," the North Carolina Republican said. "It has to get on sound fiscal footing, and it can be done in a way that is not any of the doom and gloom that I've heard."