As the 113th Congress begins its work to tackle the federal budget deficit, Members are expected to consider a variety of proposals to rein in entitlement spending. On Medicaid, policymakers are expected to propose a “per capita cap” on federal Medicaid expenditures to reduce spending and score budget savings. This issue brief explores how Medicaid per capita caps would underfund states and force serious cuts in benefits and services for the millions of low-income children, seniors, and disabled individuals who rely on Medicaid for their health coverage.