Posted on 09/28/2014 9:58:59 AM PDT by Nachum
A new report showing the continued pileup of unpaid medical bills in states that didn’t expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act is escalating criticism on these Republican-led areas of the country to expand the health insurance program for the poor.
The report out last week from the Obama administration shows the costs of uncompensated care are projected to fall by $5.7 billion this year largely because millions of Americans are eligible for expanded Medicaid insurance for the poor under the Affordable Care Act and they are taking advantage. About half of U.S. states opted in favor of expanding Medicaid which the Supreme Court allowed when it upheld the law two years ago.
“The projections . . . suggest that $4.2 billion of this reduction will come from the 25 states plus Washington D.C. expanding Medicaid as of the beginning of FY2014, representing a 25 percent reduction from baseline uncompensated care spending and 74 percent total savings,” the authors of the report from the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation wrote.
Republicans have become vulnerable to attacks and a continued series of reports showing economic benefits of an expanded Medicaid.
In Texas, for example, where Gov. Rick Perry has balked at a Medicaid expansion, the Center for Public Policy Priorities in Austin told the Dallas Morning News last week that “states that haven’t addressed their coverage gap haven’t moved,” the group’s associate director Anne Dunkelberg said who said local taxes pick up the costs of uninsured patients when they have no coverage.
(Excerpt) Read more at forbes.com ...
Is it a blog? Can’t get too interested. You’d be surprised to see what crap Forbes publishes on blogs.
“The report out last week from the Obama administration ... “
`Comrades, we have glorious news ...’ ? No thanks.
...The report out last week from the Obama administration...
Tells me all I need to know.
“Republicans have become vulnerable to attacks and a continued series of reports showing economic benefits of an expanded Medicaid.”
pretty sad commentary for a supposed “Financial” magazine. When the Government STEALS money from All Citizens to pay the bills for those that cannot afford to pay their OWN Bills, there can be NO ECONOMIC GAIN. Unless of course you a direct recipient of the SKIM.
South Carolina is one of the states that turned down the Medicaid bribe. Thank you Gov. Nikki Halley!
However, this may also motivate millions of poor Democrat voters to move out of Red States and Toss Up states and re-locate in rock solid Blue States.
Politically, financially, and demographically, this might be the best news Conservatives have had in a long time.
The Left, of course, knows this, and they will do everything they can to “nationalize” expanded Medicaid.
Also, under the "old" Medicaid, which still exists, states have a lot of flexibility about how much money, and what kind of services, they must provide.
This may be the EXACTLY right moment for Red States to reduce their "old" Medicaid contribution to the absolute legal minimum.
That would further increase the migration of Democrat voters into Blue States, which would further dilute their political power.
... reports showing economic benefits of an expanded Medicaid ...
Someone needs to ‘splain this to me. Is this “bending the cost curve” nonsense or free health insurance saves money nonsense
If the decision goes the way it should, the court case challenging federal subsidies in states that did not set up their own exchanges will provide another impetus for the 47% to move to states that offer BOTH Medicaid expansion and federal subsidies.
And the taxpayers in those states, tired of taking it on the chin, will move to states where they can get a break.
Yes, I failed to mention that Conservatives would have more motivation to leave Blue States, where their votes are currently wasted.
I live in Seattle, where my vote is completely wasted.
However, I love the weather, so I’m not going anywhere.
And, yes, I know loving cold, rainy weather is completely weird!
when are republicans not “vulnerable to attacks”?
(crickets)
referring only to republicans who act like republicans, of course!
I live in Seattle, where my vote is completely wasted.
However, I love the weather, so I’m not going anywhere.
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Ditto. Although...can’t complain about the weather we’ve had since Memorial Day...just spectacular. But rain is coming...which I also don’t mind. People do think we are weird for liking the rain...but that’s fine by me. Stay where you are folks...makes for less cars on the dang freeway.
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