Architect of massive Medicaid cut never paid back own PPP loan: report

[cbabe]

https://www.rawstory.com/medicaid-ppp/

Architect of massive Medicaid cut never paid back own PPP loan: report

Matthew Chapman
June 24, 2025 9:42PM ET

A key strategist behind Republicans' push to cut over half a trillion dollars from Medicaid by imposing new supposed anti-fraud controls has himself benefited massively from a federal program with virtually no oversight, Politico reported on Tuesday evening.

"Brian Blase is president of Paragon Health Institute, which has taken on a high-profile role in the effort in Congress to slash Medicaid costs through work requirements and other reforms," said the report. Blase has previously "called Medicaid America’s 'most flawed' entitlement program while advocating for changes that would reduce spending on the program by hundreds of billions of dollars."

However, per the report, Blase accepted over $20,000 in loans from the Paycheck Protection Program, the controversial COVID-19 relief program that paid businesses forgivable loans to prevent layoffs during the height of the pandemic. The loan, made out to his consulting firm Blase Policy Strategies, LLC, was forgiven.

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(Self justifying whine from the cess pool.)

[Lovie777]

1. shithole's people really do not have no shame....................

[SARose]

2. Hard-liners' Medicaid letter has ties to GOP think tank

MEREDITH LEE HILL
05/02/2025, 2:27PM ET

A letter signed by 20 hard-line House Republicans calling for deep cuts to Medicaid in the GOP’s domestic policy megabill appears to be written at least in part by a conservative think tank with ties to top Republican leaders.

Rep. Chip Roy of Texas led the letter and promoted it publicly but digital metadata embedded in a PDF copy circulated inside the House and obtained by POLITICO lists the author as Brian Blase, president of Paragon Health Institute.

Blase served on the White House National Economic Council during President Donald Trump’s first term. He and other conservative health wonks launched Paragon in 2021, and it has rapidly gained influence in GOP policy circles. Former Paragon staffers are now top health aides to Speaker Mike Johnson and President Donald Trump.

According to tax records gathered by InfluenceWatch, Paragon has received seven-figure donations from groups linked to high-profile conservative activists Charles Koch and Leonard Leo.

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Well looky there a Koch roach and a fake lion! Seven figure “donations?” How is this even a legitimate company?

[Kid Berwyn]

3. Don't recall this happening under President Biden or Obama or Clinton or Carter...

Bush, Reagan, Bush and Nixon, yeah.

Ford, maybe not so much, but he knew he was being watched.