Report: TX Should Put Politics Aside, Expand Medicaid
Expanding Medicaid is a "smart, affordable and fair" decision for Texas, according to a report issued by Billy Hamilton, a nonpartisan consultant commissioned by Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas and Texas Impact, a statewide interfaith network.
“If politics are set aside, the right decision is obvious,” wrote Hamilton, a former deputy comptroller of public accounts who was once the state’s chief revenue estimator. He argued that for an investment of $15 billion, Texas could draw down $100 billion in federal funds and expand health care coverage to 2 million low-income Texans over 10 years.
One of the most ...
Comments (21)
Floyd Irwin Self via Texas Tribune on Facebook
THEY DON'T CARE@!
Gringo At Padre's via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Everything's great at the country club
Bill Corporon via Texas Tribune on Facebook
The state's Republican leadership is a walking, talking definition of "short-sighted." The Republican Party's worst enemy is its state-level politicians.
Patrick Scroggin via Texas Tribune on Facebook
I think it's great campaign material for the Democrats in the next election.
Matthew Cowan via Texas Tribune on Facebook
The problem now is that entitlement spending is eating up the state budget and now they want to put more of that on the state. They proponents say it is free money but it is not. It comes from our taxes or from more deficit spending on the Feds part. We should not be encouraging that.
Michelle James
No, Matthew, it will pay for itself several times over by reducing unreimbursed emergency room visits (emergency and non-emergency) that the tax payers are paying for now and it will save lives. Why do you want to keep Texas as the #1 state with the highest number of uninsured? Expanding Medicaid is the fiscally, and morally, right thing to do.
Mary Morrison via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Just look up "short-sighted" in the dictionary. You'll find it right there. Also right next to stupid.
Rick Archer via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Matthew...your talking corporate entitlement right? As tax payers people are "entitled" to social programs. Corporations that do not pay taxes suck money from the system not taxpayers.
Lance Lowry via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Proverbs 19:17
"Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed."
Proverbs 11:24-25
One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.
Proverbs 14:21
He who despises his neighbor sins,but blessed is he who is kind to the needy.
Proverbs 14:31
He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.
Proverbs 19:17
He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward him for what he has done.
Proverbs 21:13
If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and not be answered.
Proverbs 22:9
A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor.
Proverbs 28:27
He who gives to the poor will lack nothing, but he who closes his eyes to them receives many curses.
Proverbs 31:8-9
Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.
Matthew 6:24
No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.
Mike Openshaw via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Lance, those proverbs refer to PERSONAL generosity, not supposed generosity from a soulless bureaucracy- who can ONLY be generous by taking from others. (Go ahead and challenge my on my own generosity; Please do!)
There is NO WAY the federal government will continue to fund all the mandates in this expansion; this is a sucker's trap for the states.
Jose B. Gonzalez via Texas Tribune on Facebook
A mistake by Republicans... But that's OK, they're days are numbered...
Matthew Cowan via Texas Tribune on Facebook
No people are not entitled to any social program. Social programs are not a guarantee in the U.S. or State Constitution.
Bobby Hawthorne via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Short-sighted is a polite way of saying dumber than dirt.
Bobby Hawthorne via Texas Tribune on Facebook
BTW, people aren't entitled to airline safety either. It's not in the U.S. Constitution or the State Constitution, but it's one of those things that make us a civil society.
Michelle James
Great response, Bobby Hawthorne, thank you! I am still astonished at how heartless some people are and most of them are GOP-TP. The "I've got mine, you get yours" is getting old and we need to get those people out of office.
Of course, they're the same people that believe Medicare and Social Security are entitlements and that corporations are people. There's a great meme that states "I refuse to accept that corporations are people until Texas executes one."
Al Cervera
Texas Republicans are the mold for what Gov Bobby Jindal said "we must stop being the party of stupid". There is no shortage of this commodity in the Texas GOP. In addition to being the party of "NO", they still can't do the math,
I think this is where local governments should brace their local delegations to vote for expansion in order to save money at the local level.
Meme Me
You are right Matthew .Noone is "entitled" to anything. If we are #1 uninsured in this country, I suggest that we stop the flow across the border.Unless they are stopped, we will always be their meal ticket. Why eat beans in Mex when they can have steak in the US!
audrey fisher
I agree that TX should accept this plan - but cleanly! One of the GOP has decided to write a bill to give tax credits to corporations who have "christian" values HB649 and that should be rejected out of hand.
The "religious rights" groups don't want to pay for RU-486 or birth control medication, period and that is what HB649 appears to support this group. The GOP in Austin want to simultaneously write bills that will clog up the courts and simultaneously do away with an entire level of justice (Court of Appeals).
When will everyone finally get it that GOP in Austin care very little about everyone in Texas, just those who fund their campaign.
gypsy314 ne
You mean lying democrats want Obama care to break Texas and I hope our republican leaders NOT rinos uphold the oath they took to support the constitution and we all know Obama care is a joke and just because a rino supreme court justice shows his true colors does not make it right this another reason only way and hope for America is a revolution or civil war. to clean up the liberals from our country.
Christine Lund
Just Houston alone could use all of that money. Our country club Governor and Lt. Gov. Dewhurst need to sober up. Using office to broker power and using it as a cash register and redistributing funds for the state is not their job. While keeping business in business is part of their duties, they are in office to serve the people and that is last on their list.
The HCHD is so underfunded that you could easily die in the ER before being seen. More people leave after long waits than ever get seen. They have beautiful buildings, filled with equipment and art but lines of people circle the room like snake after all the hard seats are taken. Just try and get your meds, I dare you! I don't care about privacy walls for treatment (even if the condescending Doctors may not be used to the small spaces), I just need treatment. And a recliner because after all that walking to get there and the hours waiting, I need to rest comfortably so I can walk back and maybe run to my car. LBJ and Ben Taub charge for more than I would have spent on food that day. But parking far away is dangerous when you can't run and break very easily. The rich life that many of these Doctors are used to, makes it difficult for them to comprehend how poor people are forced to live and therefore they often make really dumb suggestions and send you on your way. DO WE NEED MORE MONEY FOR HEALTHCARE? Should I go on?
Don't forget the lack of affordable dental care in this state. They could set up a hundred chairs in a row with a hundred dentist for fillings and there would be a never ending line all the way out of the city and never close 24/7 and they'd never get to the end of the line. But knowing Texas, they'd make us fill one at a time. You can stand crying in utter agony and begging for help at LBJ and at Aldine clinic and wait all day but no one will help you. DO WE NEED MORE MONEY FOR HEALTHCARE? Is anybody out there?
Michelle James
Gypsy314ne-you should be charged with treason for pushing a revolution or civil war "to get rid of the liberals." You are one of the most hateful commentors on The Tribune. A majority of Americans voted for President Obama. You are in the minority. Get over it and quit trying to divide the nation. Civil war is highly unlikely, given that most Americans are sane. With your extreme views and wish that all liberals die, you do not appear to be one of the sane ones. Gee, what kind of person wants to wipe out an entire demographic of people? Oh, yeah, that's right...You don't even know what the Constitution is. But if there ever is a war, please do us a favor and volunteer to be on the front line.