White House's Kevin Hassett Says Trump Administration Will 'Look At' Medicare Changes If Senate Finds Abuse, Calls Cuts Report 'Fake'

Benzinga · 2d ago

The Trump administration has expressed its readiness to contemplate alterations to the Medicare program, contingent on the Senate’s discovery of any fraudulent activities or misuse.

What Happened: White House National Economic Council director Kevin Hassett clarified the administration’s position on Medicare in a CBS’s “Face the Nation” interview on Sunday. Hassett stated that while Medicare is not a target in the budget proposal, the administration would consider changes if the Senate uncovers any program abuse.

Dismissing rumors of Medicare cuts as “a big fake news story,” Hassett emphasized that any identified abuse in the Medicare provision by the Senate would be reviewed.

Hassett also noted that he has observed substantial waste, fraud, and abuse in Medicaid and if similar issues are detected in Medicare, they would be promptly addressed.

“If somebody finds waste, fraud and abuse in Medicare, then of course we would look at it,” Hassett said. “But there have been a lot of false stories about Medicare being on the table, and it’s totally not on the table.”

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Why It Matters: This statement comes as Senate Republicans examine the House-approved budget bill—referred to by President Donald Trump as the “One Big Beautiful Bill”—which includes significant tax cuts, border security provisions, and changes to Medicaid and food assistance programs.

The Trump administration’s budget proposal has been a topic of intense debate. The bill, which includes Medicaid cuts and other significant changes, has sparked concerns about the future of healthcare for millions of Americans. The clarification from Hassett provides some insight into the administration’s stance on Medicare and the potential for adjustments based on Senate findings.

For more context, House Speaker Mike Johnson has defended the bill, arguing that those who lose Medicaid will do so by personal choice. His comments came amid projections that 4.8 million people could lose Medicaid coverage under the new spending bill. Meanwhile, Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought dismissed fears about Medicaid cuts as “ridiculous,” stating that the Senate would likely vote in favor of a substantially similar bill.

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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.