Another reason Senator Rand Paul is opposed to Trumpcare -- because he doesn't want to be blamed

[Akamai]

for the loss of expanded Medicaid in his state, Kentucky. (See https://www.cbpp.org/blog/acas-medicaid-expansion-a-huge-success-in-kentucky -- a great article by Aviva Aron-Dine Senior Fellow and Senior Counselor)

So Paul can please both the conservatives (saying it's too liberal) and can also please the progressives (by opposing Trumpcare).

From 3-10-17:

"When Vice President Pence travels to Kentucky this weekend to make the case for House Republicans’ Affordable Care Act (ACA) repeal bill, he’ll presumably echo President Trump’s claim that the ACA is failing in that state. Kentucky’s an odd choice to make that claim: it’s seen the sharpest drop in the adult uninsured rate of any state under the ACA, from more than 20 percent in 2013 to less than 8 percent in 2016.

"Some Republicans, including Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin, have suggested these coverage gains don’t count because a large share of them is due to the ACA’s Medicaid expansion. As Bevin argues, “If you have a Medicaid card, but you can’t find a doctor that will see you, how does that Medicaid card help you? … [A] piece of plastic doesn’t make you healthier.”

"Fortunately, Kentucky’s Medicaid expansion has been among the most carefully studied of any state. The research shows that the hundreds of thousands of Kentucky (and Arkansas) residents who’ve gained coverage are indeed finding doctors, getting health care, and becoming healthier.

"In a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association, researchers compared changes in access to care, financial security, and health outcomes for low-income adults in Kentucky and Arkansas, which expanded Medicaid, with changes over the same period for low-income adults in Texas, which didn’t. They found that expansion led to:

"Improved access to care, including a 21 percent increase in the share of people with a personal physician, a 30 percent drop in the share who had to skip medications due to cost, and a 64 percent drop in the share relying on the emergency room as a usual source of care.

"Improved financial security, including a 33 percent drop in the share of people having trouble paying medical bills.

"Improved health, including a 40 percent increase in the share of people reporting that they’re in excellent health and a 15 percent drop in the share who’ve screened positive for depression."

[oasis]

1. I never doubted for a second that Rand Paul was working this to

his political advantage. He's just as full of shit as McCain, Lindsey Graham and all other Republicans who pretend they're doing their best on the behalf of the American people.

[rufus dog]

2. Going for perfection

So he can point out how he is right when a bill is pushed through with issues or flames out, some on the left play the same game.

[standingtall]

3. Rand Paul really does want to throw even more people of insurance

than Trumpcare. Sense he knows Trumpcare likely will not pass he is using it for cover. People who keep saying Rand Paul is a solid no vote on the republican healthcare bill are dead wrong. If it came down to Rand Paul being the deciding vote he will vote with the rest of the repukes. He has said he would probably vote for 80% repeal. If he is the one that stops it then he would be getting 0% repeal.

[standingtall]

4. Not hard to find a doctor if you have medicaid in Ky

Matt Bevin is lying. Passport the non profit insurance company in Ky which is medicaid provides a list of every primary care doctor and every specialist that takes their insurance in the state.