[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 94 (Wednesday, June 3, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2501-S2502]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                MEDICAID

  Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, the Medicaid Program is an important 
resource for the support of the most vulnerable people in our society, 
and we intend to keep it for the most vulnerable.
  The Working Families Tax Cut Act, passed and signed by the President 
last year, strengthened the Medicaid Program by cracking down on fraud, 
waste, and abuse, and by improving access to home and community-based 
services.
  And I would like to give one example of taking care of fraud, waste, 
and abuse. We learned last year, in looking back, when the Biden 
administration made eligibility for ObamaCare above 400 percent of 
poverty, that we found that there were 6-4/10 million people that were 
put on ObamaCare that were already on Medicaid. Now, you need one or 
the other, but you don't need both.
  So the waste, and maybe fraud, came when agents for insurance 
companies--health insurance companies--would call you up and say: You 
can get really low-cost or no-cost insurance now under ObamaCare.
  And 6-4/10 million people took that offer up, and we wasted billions 
of dollars of money with 6-4/10 million people not needing it, if they 
were already on Medicaid.
  So we made those changes to make sure that Medicaid is staying strong 
for the most vulnerable, the original intention of Medicaid 60 years 
ago.
  Now, to bring you up to date about the legislation--because we hear 
from our constituents that we are hurting Medicaid by the changes we 
made--I want to bring attention to lesser known provisions of the law, 
enabling a broad range of individuals with developmental disabilities 
to gain access to home and community-based services.
  The new law also enabled interim home and community-based service 
coverage while newly eligible individuals developed their full care 
plan. The law will cut redtape and provide more services to vulnerable 
citizens.
  While Congress has added new flexibilities to Medicaid in the tax act 
of last year, I also want to highlight an important milestone in 
integrating people with disabilities into their local communities. More 
than 20 years ago, I helped enact legislation that goes by the title of 
Money Follows the Person Program, helping people with disabilities 
transition from long-term care facilities into home based in their very 
own communities of that person's choice.
  Rebalancing individuals from institutions to their home community is 
a very important goal. Iowa began its program with Federal support, 
more than 16 years ago, and has now transitioned over 1,100 people out 
of institutional-based care into independent settings in the 
communities of that person's choice. Last year, Iowa surpassed moving 
over 1,000 people through this program.
  This program, which I said is entitled the Money Follows the Person 
Program, is helping more people with intellectual disabilities and 
brain injuries gain independence for the very first time. This also 
means people are choosing their own daily activities for the very first 
time, going to work or going to school or participating in other things 
that you might say are the first in their life.
  Iowa is the leader in moving people with intellectual disabilities 
into the community. In 2025, 96 percent of the people who went through 
this program were still living in the community a year later.
  This program is helping Americans with disabilities find independence 
in their daily lives.
  Whether a new or old program in Medicaid, I am proud to support these 
efforts that support the original purpose of Medicaid to help those who 
are the most vulnerable.

[[Page S2502]]

  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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