House Republicans blocked amendments that would’ve protected Medicaid and federal nutrition benefits from the deep cuts.

A little-known fact outside of the health nerds circle is that some providers actually get pretty high payment rates now for seeing Medicaid enrollees. Between the lines: What's been a brewing think-tank fight over Medicaid payments to hospitals and doctors could soon spill onto the main political stage should Republicans decide this is the most politically palatable way to cut the program's spending by hundreds of billions of dollars.

Republicans are exploring cuts to Medicaid in an effort to pay for the president’s priorities. But public opinion, a divided Senate, and state governors worried about the impact to their budgets could dash those efforts.