The statement that is NOT TRUE is B: 'Those with private insurance are likely not going to be impacted by the proposed Medicaid cuts because they are still insured.' Even though privately insured individuals may seem shielded, Medicaid cuts can indirectly affect the healthcare system, impacting services available to all patients.
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The question is asking which statement is NOT TRUE regarding a hypothetical legislative proposal referred to as the 'Big Beautiful Bill' in Congress. Let's analyze each statement:
Longer ER wait times are anticipated : If the bill proposes cuts to Medicaid, this statement could be true because fewer healthcare resources and coverage could lead to more people using emergency services as their main source of care, thereby increasing wait times.
Those with private insurance are likely not going to be impacted by the proposed Medicaid cuts because they are still insured : This statement seems potentially misleading or false. While people with private insurance may not lose their insurance directly due to Medicaid cuts, they could still be indirectly affected. Possible impacts include increased premiums or changes in hospital operations due to financial strain from treating more uninsured patients.
Hospitals are expected to close, particularly in rural areas : This statement may be true as rural hospitals often rely heavily on Medicaid funding. Cuts to Medicaid could reduce essential funding, making it financially untenable for some rural hospitals to remain open.
All patients are expected to have higher out-of-pocket expenses : If healthcare funding is reduced, patients might face increased out-of-pocket expenses due to the shifting of costs to patients or reduced coverage.
Based on this analysis, the statement that is likely NOT TRUE is option 2: 'Those with private insurance are likely not going to be impacted by the proposed Medicaid cuts because they are still insured.' Even if individuals have private insurance, they could still face indirect impacts from changes in the healthcare system.