Pa. Gov. Wolf lashes Senate health bill as even crueler than House’s

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf says the health care bill written by Republicans in the U.S. Senate is even crueler than a plan passed by U.S. House Republicans because it carries deeper and more devastating cuts to Medicaid.

The Democratic governor’s eight-sentence statement today came hours after Senate Republicans released their long-awaited bill to dismantle much of former President Barack Obama’s health care law.

Pennsylvania has taken advantage of the more general federal subsidy for Medicaid under Obama’s law and expanded the program to another 700,000 people, largely low-income working adults.

Wolf says such cuts to Medicaid will damage Pennsylvania families and communities. He says seniors in need of home or nursing care, children with disabilities, rural hospitals and working families will be hurt.