Medicaid Expansion in Spotlight as Session Heats Up
Will Texas expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act? That’s the $100 billion question at the Capitol this session. The state’s Republican leadership says no, but supporters of federal health care reform may be gaining traction.
A recent report by former Deputy Comptroller Billy Hamilton indicated that if the state spent $15 billion on a Medicaid expansion over 10 years, it would get $100 billion back, and about 231,000 new jobs by 2016.
Audio: Ben Philpott's story for KUT News
“To look at something that helps to create jobs in Texas, that helps improve the health ...
Comments (7)
audrey fisher
I hate to assume, but TT failed to mention the actual legislation that will be discussed, so the legislative number may be SJR 8.
Local PBS broadcast, including the State of TX Medical Association lobbyist has opined that TX will be at the losing end if those in Austin fail to admit that it taxpayer's will continue to bear the burden of healthcare for those who lack access to healthcare under ACA.
So, Texans, when your healthcare cost increase because of political ideology - remember it is the policitician in Austing who are responsible for your increase costs, not the FED.
Suzy Que
Thanks, Audrey Fisher. I just want to reiterate your 2nd sentence more simply as I had to read it twice to realize you did not mean the opposite of what you stated (I could have been a little slow :-)):
The taxpayers' burden will INCREASE if our representatives fail to accept and take advantage of Obama's ACA.
As a healthcare provider who visits many of Texas's medicaid patients in their homes, I can attest that TX Medicaid standards are horrible and these patients suffer. Many who do not qualify under our current guidelines (make too much money yet not enough to live on) are worse off than some 3rd world patients.
Patti Gallaway
What is there to debate? Texas boasts about having created jobs; we boast about the economy being among the best in the country; we boast about our educational system; yet, we refuse to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act to allow those Texans without medical insurance to receive health care.
It is a slap in the face of Texas voters to suggest that our legislators and our Governor are refusing Medicaid reimbursement because it takes away the power of our State Government to disburse the funds as we see fit, when it is obvious the only reason is because it is part of Obama's ACA.
It is political hogwash and it takes away from providing medical care for millions of Texans including children and the elderly that we as taxpayers pay for anyway. Who do you think pays the medical expenses of the uninsured??? It is not the legislators against the Medicaid Act! It is not the Governor and his tea party cronies who have adequate medical coverage! It is the taxpayers who must pay more taxes to cover the high cost of medical expenses for those without coverage!
Politicians, quit making a mockery of Texas voters by assuming we are too stupid or uninformed to know how things work in Texas government and start doing what you were hired to do - looking out for the citizens of Texas, all of its citizens, not just the wealthy and those who are lining your pockets with money for re-election!
Patti Gallaway, Ph.D.
Health Care Provider
Michelle James
The non-partisan consultant's report said the lives of about 5,700 adults and 2,900 children would be saved if we expand Medicaid. How Perry and his cohorts can claim to be prolife but throw away 8,600 plus lives is beyond me. Expanding Medicaid would also insure an additional 2 mil Texans over two years. The state of this state is sad and alarming.
Jim Baxa
True studies have shown that medicaid does not contribute to increasing the health of the people that it purports to serve. Rather, people's health declines once they get medicaid benefits. So, to say that 8,000 lives would be saved by expanding medicaid, is foolish. The opposite is true. Medicaid causes dependence on govt, which is anti-Texan, and people suffer for it.
Ajay Jain
Hello Friends,
Governor Rick Perry millions of under-privileged poor Texans who do not have any Health Coverage will be covered under The Affordable Care ACT (ACA) expansion of MEDICAID!
My Physician wife's practice is partly dependent on MEDICAID and its viability. Please allow the expansion of MEDICAID to occur in Texas under The Affordable Care ACT.
Believe it or not IT IS A FACT: If states choose to expand Medicaid, the federal government will cover 100 percent of the costs from 2014 to 2016. The feds' contribution will begin to decrease in 2017, but will never be less than 90 percent, under the ACA.
That's why I created a petition to Governor Rick Perry, Texas Governor, The Texas State House, The Texas State Senate, and Governor Rick Perry, which says:
"Please ACCEPT the FREE EXPANSION of MEDICAID under The Affordable Care ACT."
Will you sign this petition? Click here:
http://signon.org/sign/accept-free-expansion?source=c.em.cp&r_by=7268737
Thanks!
Ajay Jain
ajain31@gmail.com
Twitter ajain31.
Mobile: 214-207-9781
Ajay Jain
You or I do not have ANY control over Federal taxes. What all pay into Federal taxes is FIXED. We can not change it ANYWAY. If people understand that then it is easy to understand that some States are donor states and some states are recipient states. Most of the Southern States are recipient states by virtue of what they pay INTO Federal taxes (which is LESS) and what they receive as Federal support (which is MORE).
No state can change the State donor role or State recipient role overnight. Most Republican Governors are just loosing out in that they are refusing the Federal largess (the Federal handout) on Medicaid Expansion because Believe it or not IT IS A FACT: If states choose to expand Medicaid, the federal government will cover 100 percent of the costs from 2014 to 2016. The feds' contribution will begin to decrease in 2017, but will never be less than 90 percent, under the ACA also known as Obamacare.
So people opposing Medicaid Expansion can cry foul till their cows come back home but they will with their State be the looser in the long run. If history is correct it all started the same way for the very well established system of Medicare in this nation.
(Check it out!) Many states refused to accept Medicare in the 60's as a way of doing business just like they are rejecting Medicaid expansion under Obamacare a.k.a. ACA (Affordable Care ACT) but in the long run when Reagan got tired of appearing in anti-Medicare Ads all over the country Medicare was established as the way of doing business (taking care of our elder population's medical needs) and to this day it is an accepted wise and affordable way of supporting our Seniors.
Mark my words in less than a decade i.e. by 2023 Medicaid Expansion will be the accepted norm all over the country and NOT the EXCEPTION. You and I can not beat the economics of fairness. Try your best but within this decade either Governors who accept Medicaid Expansion will be elected or Governors who reject Medicaid Expansion will be DEFEATED.
And if Medicare is any example MEDICAID will go the same rout. I repeat, Mark my words in less than a decade i.e. by 2023 Medicaid Expansion will be the accepted norm all over the country. And I am saying that proudly as I do not find the need to hide my identity behind pseudonyms.
People opposing Medicaid Expansion have access to Google.com and I believe they are intelligent people. Check it out: IT IS A FACT: If states choose to expand Medicaid, the federal government will cover 100 percent of the costs from 2014 to 2016. The feds' contribution will begin to decrease in 2017, but will never be less than 90 percent, under the ACA.
That's why I created a petition to Governor Rick Perry, Texas Governor, The Texas State House, The Texas State Senate, and Governor Rick Perry, which says:
"Please ACCEPT the FREE EXPANSION of MEDICAID under The Affordable Care ACT."
Will you sign this petition? Click here:
http://signon.org/sign/accept-free-expansion?source=c.em.cp&r_by=7268737
Thanks!
Ajay Jain
ajain31@gmail.com
Twitter ajain31.
Mobile: 214-207-9781