Bay State lawmakers can breathe a sigh of relief: moderate Republicans in Washington have forced House Speaker Mike Johnson to rule out major cuts in federal Medicaid spending, report the NYT, Politico and the Hill. … State House News Service (paywall) has more on the local implications. … Maybe moderate Republicans didn’t rescue the Massachusetts state budget per se. But a massive federal funding reduction for Medicaid was probably the top concern of Beacon Hill lawmakers trying to cobble together a new state budget. … So a known unknown is now a known known, as Hub Blog speculated last week: moderate Republicans can, at least now and then, wield some fiscal influence in DC.

Update — A reader emails: “Local hospitals are also breathing a sigh of relief. Many of them depend on those Medicaid monies.” … Good point. Should have noted that earlier.

Update II – From the NYT: “Proposed Medicaid Cuts Put Vulnerable Republicans in a Political Bind.”