Trump’s Medicare and Medicaid chief cracks down on payment practices and insurance companies — but costs are still rising
Elon Musk’s leadership of the temporary “Department of Government Efficiency” dominated the beginning of President Donald Trump’s second term. “DOGE,” as Musk branded the new entity, was tasked with reducing federal spending through cutbacks to personnel, contracts, grants and “woke” initiatives.
An outcry from those targeted generated much news coverage. But “DOGE” had no statutory power. It was largely boxed in by existing appropriations and legal entitlements to federal funds established by Congress — and many of its cuts would be reversed in court. The so-called department also greatly exaggerated the savings it generated, by counting reductions in credit authority which were unlikely to be used. Skeptical analysts suggest that “DOGE” likely generated a one-time reduction in federal spending of just $15 billion.
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Chris Pope is a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute. Follow him on Twitter here.
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