GOP plan to keep uninsured Americans from healthcare working (#NC)

[SaveAmerica]

One 'small' example of the beginning of a big mess in NC. The NC GOP-led General Assembly and Governor said 'no thanks' to Medicaid expansion in NC (then blamed the State Insurance Commissioner that people won't be covered - I'll put a link to that below if you're interested).

Here is one result of Republican 'pull your sick self up by your worn out boot straps' medical care plan. (My guess as to why they think this is a good plan is that they will be able to tell folks that Obama made this hospital close, they weren't counting on NC Dems to make sure everyone gets an earful).


http://www.wcnc.com/news/health/Hospital-closing-after-NC-doesnt-expand-Mediciad-222549581.html

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) -- A small community hospital in eastern North Carolina is closing after state officials declined Medicaid expansion under the federal Affordable Care Act.

The Daily Reflector of Greenville reports (http://bit.ly/1527g1X ) that Vidant Health System will close its hospital in the coastal town of Belhaven within six months. About 100 employees are expected to lose their jobs.

Vidant CEO David Herman said the 60-year-old hospital's closing is triggered by the decision of North Carolina lawmakers to refuse federal funding to expand Medicaid. The company plans to open a small outpatient clinic in Belhaven, but patients needing emergency care would need to be transported to another Vidant hospital in Washington, 26 miles away.

Gov. Pat McCrory signed a Republican-backed law in March denying health insurance to about 500,000 low-income people under Medicaid.


(There is a link to the audio of the lie that Insurance Commissioner Goodwin was behind Medicaid being kept from North Carolinians at the end of this article. If you can't tell, Goodwin is a Democrat who was readying his team to receive the expansion benefits, maybe they thought they could preemptively start a campaign against him while trying to 'prove' Obamacare is a failure?).

http://www.northcarolinahealthnews.org/2013/05/10/wos-says-decision-to-not-expand-medicaid-came-from-goodwin/

[leftstreet]

1. Why didn't ACA 'mandate' states accept the expansion?

Mandates for employers
Mandates for workers

[SaveAmerica]

4. One look around this state at what the GOP has been

doing the past 2 years will reveal that they don't have the sense of a deer tick. I imagine they'd find a way around a mandate and still blame that on Obama (as they've done with many other benefits he has implemented that were meant to help those in need).

You're right though, having the ability to opt out was not a good thing and when I hear people here cheer when a Republican-run state say they won't participate and suggest that's what the state and its people deserve, it makes me furious. Some of the people who live in those states are Democrats who are out of work or under-employed, have health issues and other things going on and gave some of the most hours of volunteer time at phones working for Obama in '08. I find it infuriating when people crow over shortfalls of this program that is in its infancy instead of getting on board with making sure it is worked on and revised to become the best program it can be.

I (and many others) have benefited from Obamacare with provisions that came through in the first rounds of ruling released for our use. Would we want those and the next rounds to not exist because some underestimated just how evil some the Republican Party are?

[davekriss]

9. I'm confused by your question

The ACA *did* mandate Medicaid expansion, it wasn't an opt-in option. The Supreme Court in their neo-fascist wisdom struck down that portion of the law while letting the rest of it stand.

[JustinL]

10. It did mandate the expansion, but the Supreme Court struck down that part of the law.

http://www.scotusblog.com/2012/06/court-holds-that-states-have-choice-whether-to-join-medicaid-expansion/

[SharonAnn]

2. It's "Medicaid" expansion, not "Medicare" There's a big difference between the two.

[SaveAmerica]

5. Thanks, I'm usually better at proofing, will change.

[blkmusclmachine]

3. .

.

[Tippy]

6. Tennessee has about 15 or so small hospitals it's a given they will close

Thanks to our Corporate Governor...he also wants to close public schools in favor of Charter schools Just the threat denying Tennesseans Health Care has caused Vanderbilt to begin lay offs...

[SaveAmerica]

7. We have that going on here too, so crazy to watch it happening

I give us 2 election cycles to turn this ship around or I have to leave this beautiful place called home. I'm willing to fight for it but I need to see other people waking up and helping make a change - I'm tired!!

[Tippy]

11. I understand tired..I've worked for many years helping Dems get elected..but 2110

I could not believe they just did not vote..it made me sick, and have been ever since The tea party is so filled with hate many dems have just given up...I am not ready to believe as a party we are finished. I have this thought in my head that we elected a great President, and my last wish is to see him recognized as such.

[SaveAmerica]

14. In NC, at least, we have new blood coming on board (Moral Mondays)

So thankful that these guys are building a good network of some fresh volunteers, I'm hoping that will make the difference for us in '14. And, I don't think that folks in NC will make the same mistakes they made in the past. Staying at home on election day serves no positive purpose.

[SaveAmerica]

8. Also wanted to mention the 100 jobs lost thanks to Rs

who said their #1 goal was create jobs. Thanks a lot!

[Tippy]

12. We have a Corporate Gov. in TN but we are creating jobs....

Of course he is keeping the pay scale low. When he would not release his tax returns I knew ...he had his name taken off everything ...his brother took over ever heard of the Pilot Flying J...They got caught keeping fuel rebates promised to driver/owners...are now in process of paying them back..

[SaveAmerica]

13. Huffington Post Article about closure with cute quote from town Mayor

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/06/north-carolina-medicaid-expansion_n_3882976.html


"We have a greedy nonprofit doing immoral things," Belhaven Mayor Adam O'Neal said to WNCT-TV in Greenville. Local residents protested the closure outside the hospital after the decision became public, the television station reported Friday."

The color of their sky; still not blue. Also, I call projection.