Republican Sen. Joni Ernst defends proposed Medicaid cuts: 'We all are going to die'

Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, was repeatedly pressed on cuts to Medicaid in the House's budget bill at a town hall in her home state on Friday, and pushed back on an attendee who said the cuts would lead to deaths.

Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, was repeatedly pressed on cuts to Medicaid in the House's budget bill at a town hall in her home state on Friday, and pushed back on an attendee who said the cuts would lead to deaths.

"People are not — well, we all are going to die, so, for heaven’s sakes," she said, prompting resounding jeers.

The exchange began with an attendee complaining to Ernst that the bill would give significant tax breaks to the ultrawealthy while kicking some people off Medicaid and food assistance programs.

Ernst said the only people who face getting booted are those who should not be on Medicaid in the first place.

“They’re not currently eligible by the original definition of Medicaid, and they will be moved off of those Medicaid rolls, again still allowing those that are truly eligible for Medicaid to remain on those rolls," the senator said.