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The Daily Money: A private-sector playbook for DOGE


Good morning! It’s Daniel de Visé with your Daily Money.

DOGE’s latest move in a campaign to cut government spending may be new for the federal government, but the "slash and burn" layoff strategy was ripped straight out of the private sector’s playbook, Bailey Schulz reports. 

After thousands of government layoffs, the Office of Personnel Management on Saturday directed federal workers to email a list of roughly five accomplishments from the previous week by 11:59 p.m. EST Monday. The email spurred backlash from federal agencies. But for private companies, it's not so unusual.

Why are tax returns slowing this year?

Tax season continued its sluggish start into early February, but tax refunds continued to steadily roll out the door, Susan Tompor reports.

Every tax season has its own quirks and nuances. And oddly enough, the Internal Revenue Service has received 7.7% fewer returns so far this year. The agency also has processed 7.6% fewer returns through Feb. 7, according to the latest data, published Friday.

Why the delays?

Get a job or lose Medicaid?

Republicans in Congress are resurfacing an old idea: requiring many adults on Medicaid to get a job in order to keep their health insurance. 

The work requirement is one of several ways the GOP is seeking to slash hundreds of billions of dollars from Medicaid, the government health program for low-income and disabled residents that covers about 1 in 5 Americans. Medicaid also covers pregnant women, 2 in 5 child births, and nursing homes for some low-income seniors and others.

Conservatives who support the idea say a work requirement would provide motivation. But would it really save money?

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About The Daily Money

Each weekday, The Daily Money delivers the best consumer and financial news from Paste BN, breaking down complex events, providing the TLDR version, and explaining how everything from Fed rate changes to bankruptcies impacts you.

Daniel de Visé covers personal finance for USA Today.