Tag: medicaid expansion

Rejecting medicaid expansion and thinking it through

Rejecting medicaid expansion and thinking it through

Posted on by Jack

Did they think it through? About half the states, mostly those with Republican governors and legislatures, rejected the medicaid expansion. They not only rejected a benefit for the low-income folks in their state but it seems they have also hurt many of the hospitals.

Now they might have to bail out these hospitals or watch them close. So the state’s choice is to let them close and hurt the people of the state or bail them out and pay twice. Why do I say pay twice? Continue reading “Rejecting medicaid expansion and thinking it through”

Trying a new way for medicaid expansion in Pennsylvania

Trying a new way for medicaid expansion in Pennsylvania

Posted on by Jack

I have previously written about the governmental see-saw on medicaid expansion in Pennsylvania. My understanding was the Feds paid 100% for 3 years, eventually falling to 90% (so the state is stuck with 10% in the long-term). But whether or not the state participates the residents still pay the tax for medicaid expansion in the other states.

As far as I could tell Gov. Corbett was against the Medicaid expansion in Pennsylvania but had not reached a final decision. The legislature went back and forth on it. It seemed to me the needy in Pennsylvania would be the losers. But things may be looking up!

Gov. Corbett would like to use these funds to provide private health coverage rather than add to the state’s Medicaid program. But this requires federal approval. Read the full article here. And more details are to follow.

It seems to me that it a good idea to try different methods of delivering services. If this works our well, it could be a model for other states to deliver medicaid services. So I’m eagerly awaiting more details and hearing the federal response.

Medicaid expansion in Pennsylvania

Medicaid expansion in Pennsylvania

Posted on by Jack

Bad news, then good news, and bad news again on medicaid expansion in Pennsylvania.

House Republicans followed through Monday on their threat to kill a provision written by the state Senate to require Gov. Tom Corbett to seek federal approval for an expansion of Medicaid eligibility to provide taxpayer-paid health care to hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians.

This from an article on the back and forth state of medicaid expansion in PA.

As part of health care reform (Obamacare), the federal government was going to pay to expand medicaid. But since this is a joint program between the federal and state governments, the states need to be willing participants. Seems an inexpensive way for the states to help their poorer residents. The federal government pays 100 percent for the first three years, starting next year, and 90 percent after that.

But 21 states governed by Republicans refused this deal. There are 6 states that haven’t decided yet and Pennsylvania is one of them.

I live in Pennsylvania so I’ve been paying attention to the see-saw here. First our Republican governor says NO. Then the state Senate says YES . Then the state House says No (see the quote above).

So I don’t know what will happen but I suspect the needy in Pennsylvania will be the losers.