Found it: By 2014, more people will be eligible for Medicaid

[shcrane71]

http://www.healthcare.gov/law/timeline/index.html

Increasing Access to Medicaid

Effective January 1, 2014

Americans who earn less than 133% of the poverty level (approximately $14,000 for an individual and $29,000 for a family of four) will be eligible to enroll in Medicaid. States will receive 100% federal funding for the first three years to support this expanded coverage, phasing to 90% federal funding in subsequent years.

[Harmony Blue]

1. Basically, this has huge positive implications

to the Red poorer states in the Union like New Mexico, Florida, Georgia, etc.

Starting pay for college grads with four year degrees in the south is just above 29k in their respective fields. Most workers that are wage workers in the south hover around the 25k mark, Full time, and half that if part time (very common trend to see wage workers part time at multiple jobs now).

[shcrane71]

3. The real goodies start in 2014... Of course, Massachusetts already

has access to affordable healthcare thanks to the flip/flopper Romeny, who is vowing that the rest of the country doesn't have the same access.

[PotatoChip]

2. Great find. Thanks!

Going back to read some more...

[upaloopa]

4. Not so fast. Part of the SCOTUS ruling was that States could opt out of the additional Medicaid.

Red states my try to please the tea nuts and opt out thus not increasing the number eligible for Medicaid.

[shcrane71]

5. Isn't if if they choose to opt-out, they must provide a plan that ensures their citizens

coverage at an equal or greater rate? I know Vermont is opting out to provide a single payer system by 2017.

[nadinbrzezinski]

7. Some of that was taken out

But it will become a political football

[kelly1mm]

8. No, that was what the ACA said (opt out only if you have equal/greater plan) but the SC struck that

as well as the 133% medicaid provision being mandatory on the states.

[PotatoChip]

15. Question(s).. For *anyone* in the know...

First, has Vermont actually passed a Single Payer plan?... As in State House, State Senate, and signed by their Governor? And if so, have there been no challenges either by state referendum, or their state judicial branch of government?

Just wondering, because such a victory should have been huge news. Especially when you consider the fact that other state legislatures have been trying to pass Single Payer legislation since as early as 1998. That I know of... Possibly earlier, in places that I am unaware of. Maybe I just didn't get the memo.

Re: the opt-out option; wouldn't Vermont have to have an actual plan, working and in place, in order to remove themselves from the ACA?

[shcrane71]

20. Vermont passed Single Payer in 2011.

The opt-out portion of the healthcare law doesn't going into effect until 2017. Go to healthcare.gov and then go to the timeline.

Here's your information:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002874818

[PotatoChip]

26. This is great news

And since the opt-out portion of the law does not go into effect until 2017, it will presumably give Vermont time to get their plan up and running.

Thanks for the info and kudos to Vermont!!! I now vaguely remember some talk of this on DU2, but never did find out the full outcome for whatever reason. This is a big deal! It seems to me that there should have been more coverage in print and network media though. Maybe there was, and I just missed it somehow ?... (I don't get cable news)

My apologies for not getting back to you sooner- shortly after your post to me, we got walloped by mega thunderstorms. Even lost power for a little while.

Wish we could all have Single Payer, but am happy that we got most of the ACA through. It's definitely a very good start!

[PoliticAverse]

21. The Vermont plan doesn't begin until 2017...

See:
http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Vt-gov-hails-health-ruling-pushes-bigger-plan-3671616.php
http://www.vermontforsinglepayer.org/

[PotatoChip]

27. Thank you for the info PoliticAverse.

It was very helpful!

[nadinbrzezinski]

6. Yes, and you can bet they will not opt out.

Or if they do, well political hell comes to mind as their costs continue to rise. Hospitals will lobby, to end caring for the very sick in the ER.

By 2014 this will be old nooz.

[shcrane71]

10. I think you're right. There's going to be too much political pressure to opt-in

from healthcare providers. It's simply bad business practices to leave that money on the table:

http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/06/28/12464332-health-care-ruling-could-leave-poorest-americans-at-greatest-risk

[SammyWinstonJack]

28. Heh. Gov Goodhair will opt out. You can take that to the bank!

[nadinbrzezinski]

29. That is UNTIL the powerful medical lobby

reminds him of their power... you think the Houston Hospital association, a powerful donor to repub causes, will not lobby for political purity?

[kelly1mm]

9. This will allow me to retire early in 2014. I will be 43. Already have paid for house/farm

and no debt. My non-tax deferred investments generate about $17K per year. Wife and I have been thinking of early retirement but the cost of health care was the stumbling block. Since we would qualify for medicaid now at 133% of the poverty line we should be good to go.

[Recursion]

11. This is the part most affected by the court ruling

There's a carrot (90% of the tab) and there was a stick (losing the rest of your Medicaid funding). The carrot is still there but the stick is gone; it's not clear yet what that will mean.

[shcrane71]

12. How can anyone vote for Romney, who basically passed this plan for Massachusetts

and now vows to repeal it for everyone else. Seriously? WTF?

[EFerrari]

13. Romney is out on the stump denouncing the president and the plan.

Which is firmly connected to Obama, not Romney, in the minds of the Republican base. That's how.

ETA: As I type this, a "repealitnow.org" commercial is on the GMC channel,

[shcrane71]

16. I'm happy that they're calling it Obamacare, though it was Romney's first...

If Romney repeals it, then he'll be to blame for all the uninsured and deaths, and Obama is the hero.

[EFerrari]

18. Remember that the opposition's base doesn't give a damn

if people are uninsured or if they die. They rationalize it by blaming the victims.

Whenever we come up with a narrative that makes sense, we need to come up with the parallel one that makes sense to them because it's rarely if ever the same one.

[shcrane71]

19. OK, Narrative for Republicans, this will create businesses

All those Republican couples where one is toiling away at a thankless, low-paying job just for the healthcare days are gone. Quit. Get affordable healthcare and grow your business without the fear of going bankrupt.

[kestrel91316]

14. This is why the RW doesn't WANT Medicaid. At all. They want these poor to do without healthcare

altogether and DIE.

[shcrane71]

17. I agree, but they're playing with fire there... Health care providers are going to

want that money that's been promised to pay for poor patients.

[HopeHoops]

22. Excellent site.

[shcrane71]

23. Yeah, thank you Obama Administration for the site...

Ok, I have to admit I've been mad, mad, mad at Obama. I wanted Single Payer so badly. I was pissed that I had to wait to 2014 to get the bennies of ACA, but now that I may actually get healthcare in a little over a year, I'm getting giddy. I just have to hold off getting sick til then.

[HopeHoops]

24. It's a major step in the right direction.

[great white snark]

25. Baby steps.

We ALL wanted single pay shcrane71 but if this was defeated the momentum would have taken decades to come back.

You stay well.