House could be first up to tackle entitlement reform

Republicans who want to overhaul entitlement programs Medicare and Medicaid will have to look to the House to take the first crack at it next year.

House Speaker Paul Ryan told radio show host Ross Kaminsky on Wednesday that he wants to revisit entitlement reform after tax reform is finished. But the last effort to tackle entitlements in Obamacare repeal failed in the Senate last summer, and a member of Senate leadership said that the House will have to take the first step at any reform bill.

“I don’t know that that is something that we talked about that over here, but my understanding is the House is considering it,” said Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., the third-ranking GOP senator.

Thune was asked if the Senate would take up an entitlement reform bill if the House passed one.

“If the House sends us something, yeah,” he responded.