Before the Senate voted on a “skinny” alternative to Obamacare, it was considering the House version of repeal and replace—called the Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA). President Trump called the legislation “mean” and Republicans were attacked for robbing the poor, the elderly and the disabled of needed health care dollars. But were these criticisms fair?

By the year 2036, Medicaid spending under the Republican proposal would be 35 percent lower than under current law. That’s according to an estimate by the Congressional Budget Office.