Josh Hawley Goes From ‘Don’t Cut Medicaid’ to Most Cuts Would ‘Be Fine’

Hawley was the most outspoken opponent in the Senate to Medicaid cuts. Now he says he’s “always supported” most of the Medicaid cuts and suggests he would “be fine” with just one change.

Josh Hawley
Sen. Josh Hawley questions a witness at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in the Hart building. Tom Williams/AP

For months, Republican Sen. Josh Hawley has been one of the loudest voices in his party against any cuts to Medicaid benefits in the reconciliation bill. Now, in what are expected to be the Senate’s critical last days of negotiations, Hawley finally seems open to some Medicaid cuts — even the vast majority of cuts in the reconciliation bill.

Just not the Medicaid provider tax reduction.

“They’ve got to fix this hospital piece of it,” Hawley told NOTUS. “And if they do that, then I think that’d be fine.”