D.C. health committee adopts FY26 budget recommendations to soften mayor—s proposed Medicaid and public-health cuts

Councilmember Christina Henderson, chair of the Committee on Health, on Monday moved and the committee approved a report of recommendations for the District's fiscal year 2026 health budget that would reverse some of the mayor's proposed cuts and add targeted investments for behavioral health, maternal supports, HIV prevention and food access. The committee approved the report in Room 500 of the John A. Wilson Building and on Zoom; the motion carried unanimously.

The committee said the mayor—s FY26 proposal included sharp reductions to the District—s Medicaid and Alliance programs that would transition roughly 25,500 adults from Medicaid to a Basic Health Program administered by the Health Benefit Exchange Authority and lower adult Medicaid eligibility from 221% of the federal poverty level to 135% of FPL. The report recommends restoring $3.7 million in FY26 and $12.1 million across the financial plan to blunt several proposed reductions, and it directs additional investments across public-health priorities.

Why it matters: The committee—s report would affect thousands of District residents who rely on Medicaid and Alliance benefits and would steer local funding into services that federal cuts or grant expirations have put at risk. Committee members said the changes are aimed at preserving access to care and preventing losses of benefits such as dental, vision and nonemergency medical transportation that the Basic Health Program may not cover.

Key recommendations and restorations - Medicaid/Alliance: The committee recommends rolling back several eligibility and administrative changes proposed by the mayor—s budget, including removing a proposed face-to-face recertification…