May 5, 2011 4:06PM 

# Yes, Cut Medicaid – It Won’t Be as Painful as You Think 

By [Michael F. Cannon](https://www.cato.org/people/michael-f-cannon) 

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That’s the title of my latest *Kaiser Health News* column. An excerpt:

> The [budget blueprint](http://budget.house.gov/UploadedFiles/PathToProsperityFY2012.pdf) passed last month by House Republicans… would encourage states to cut their Medicaid rolls. As it should: the evidence shows there are millions of people enrolling in Medicaid who don’t need taxpayer subsidies to obtain coverage, and experience shows that Medicaid cuts will not be as painful as you might think.…
> 
> 
> The president and the Republicans agree that balancing the federal budget is impossible without restraining Medicaid spending. That will be much easier, Mr. President, if we could stop pretending that every single Medicaid enrollee needs to be there.

Read the whole thing [here](http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Columns/2011/May/050511cannon.aspx).

##### Related Tags 

[Government and Politics](https://www.cato.org/government-politics), [Health Care](https://www.cato.org/health-care) 

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