Of course, the media blames the Republicans for the stalemate. But it’s the tax and spend governor who will not be deterred from raising existing taxes and imposing new ones in the name of “education.”
The cost of Medicaid is not mentioned but was increasing at an unsustainable rate of $400 million per year in PA prior to the state’s Republican Governor agreed to sign on to the Obamacare Medicaid expansion plan. Choosing to extend Medicaid coverage from 1 out of every 6 state residents to 1 out of every 4 residents can only create a significant budget issue.
Notice Medicaid expansion was not mentioned in the article. As a mandatory entitlement, its costs will be covered before roads, bridges, schools, state parks, Plus cost controls on entitlement health care programs have historically had limited success. It is the beneficiary who controls costs by living a health lifestyle (or not) and by choosing to use higher cost or lower cost services (emergency room vs urgent care center for example).
Medicaid will fiscally destroy the states, it is only a matter of time. The states that signed on for ACA expansion will be the first to choke, followed by the rest. States cannot raise enough tax money to provide open ended medical services for 25% of the population. Ultimately, the fiscal squeeze will force local and state politician to demand a federal government funded and operated single payer healthcare system. Medicaid expansion was part of the roadmap to single payer.