Medicaid Hopes

[lovuian]

http://www.chron.com/opinion/editorials/article/Medicaid-hopes-6115411.php

Uninsured Texas adults and children would benefit from a Medicaid expansion plan.

It's obvious why those eyes peering through a tiny crack in the door of Medicaid expansion belong to a Texas lieutenant governor. Tea party icon Dan Patrick has been under tremendous pressure lately from medical groups, business leaders, local government officials and other sensible Texans who are appalled that Patrick and other ideologues in his party continue to block a Medicaid expansion plan that would provide health insurance for nearly 6 million uninsured Texas adults and children. The expansion plan would take the pressure off taxpayers who have to cover emergency room costs when the uninsured get so sick they show up at Ben Taub Hospital or its emergency-care counterparts around the state. The sensible ones among us are appalled that expansion opponents would leave $100 billion in federal money on the table simply to score political points while Texas remains the state with the highest number of uninsured in the nation.

and I love this line in the article
In her column on Wednesday, Falkenberg quoted Harris County Judge Ed Emmett, in a 2013 speech: "While the political debate over the Affordable Care Act continues, poor people will continue to get sick and they'll continue to need care. Harris County taxpayers should not have to foot the bill while our federal tax dollars are going to other states. We are already paying those dollars into the federal government, and for us to say, 'Well, we don't want your $4 billion in exchange for $50 million that we put in,' frankly is just nonsensical."

[enough]

1. Morning kick. (nt)