Trump administration blocks states from using Medicaid to respond to coronavirus crisis
Source: Los Angeles Times
POLITICS
Trump administration blocks states from using Medicaid to respond to coronavirus crisis
By NOAM N. LEVEY STAFF WRITER
MARCH 13, 20204 AM
WASHINGTON -- Despite mounting pleas from California and other states, the Trump administration isn't allowing states to use Medicaid more freely to respond to the coronavirus crisis by expanding medical services. ... In previous emergencies, including the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Hurricane Katrina and the H1N1 flu outbreak, both Republican and Democratic administrations loosened Medicaid rules to empower states to meet surging needs.
But months into the current global disease outbreak, the White House and senior federal health officials haven't taken the necessary steps to give states simple pathways to fully leverage the mammoth safety net program to prevent a wider epidemic. ... That's making it harder for states to quickly sign up poor patients for coverage so they can get necessary testing or treatment if they are exposed to coronavirus. ... And it threatens to slow efforts by states to bring on new medical providers, set up emergency clinics or begin quarantining and caring for homeless Americans at high risk from the virus.
"If they wanted to do it, they could do it," said Cindy Mann, who oversaw the Medicaid program in the Obama administration and worked with states to help respond to the H1N1 flu crisis in 2009.
One reason federal health officials have not acted appears to be President Trump's reluctance to declare a national emergency. That's a key step that would clear the way for states to get Medicaid waivers to more nimbly tackle coronavirus, but it would conflict with Trump's repeated efforts to downplay the seriousness of the epidemic.
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Read more: https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2020-03-13/trump-administration-blocks-states-use-medicaid-respond-coronavirus-crisis
David Fahrenthold Retweeted
https://twitter.com/Fahrenthold
"One reason federal health officials have not acted appears to be President Trump's reluctance to declare a national emergency."
Link to tweet
underpants
(182,769 posts)Newest Reality
(12,712 posts)rurallib
(62,406 posts)This is one super sick piece of human garbage.
marble falls
(57,077 posts)SammyWinstonJack
(44,130 posts)Maggot
and it took me quite a long time to realize this: trump is a sadist.
EndlessWire
(6,513 posts)mcar
(42,302 posts)They are going to die from this administration's incompetence and malfeasance.
bluestarone
(16,906 posts)I want to hear it daily (numerous times) to use the WALL money to help with this virus!! ( i've heard NO discussion on it)
rurallib
(62,406 posts)bluestarone
(16,906 posts)For his FN Mexican Wall. I want the Dems to request using THAT money for the Virus outbreak. Would be GREAT discussion for 2020 election!
rurallib
(62,406 posts)TheRealistRealist
(180 posts)This was the purpose of his tweet about Obama waiting 6 months to declare a national emergency. I am sick of folks saying Trump is stupid etc. He knows exactly what he is doing. He wants as many people infected as possible so he can cancel the elections. This is why he is witholding tests. I also believe he and his cronies have a vaccine. Why are there no reports of his Maralago members becoming ill with CV?
58Sunliner
(4,381 posts)Coincidence takes planning.
Newest Reality
(12,712 posts)That all depends on how much "special power" he can exploit from this crisis.
It is quite possible that he can get what he wants with a national emergency prior to the election and then, well, the election won't be our major concern at that point.
This is a crossing the Rubicon situation, to me. The big juicy steak is sitting there now. The aroma is wafting into his putrid nostrils. This Orange junkyard dog is salivating and licking his chomps ready to lunge at it. We are the "steak".
C Moon
(12,212 posts)He appears to want this thing to spreadespecially in California.
Him and the GOP.
They use things like pandemics to their own advantage. That's the ONLY way the GOP sees life: how they can prosper off things.
They are sick people who should not be in the place of power.
EndlessWire
(6,513 posts)sinkingfeeling
(51,445 posts)what the GOP answer is to everything.
bronxiteforever
(9,287 posts)Bernardo de La Paz
(48,988 posts)Politicub
(12,165 posts)So much cruelty, it's unfathomable.
Botany
(70,490 posts)I turned it off when she said something about Trump's powerful actions in trying to
stop this disease with his border closings.
mtngirl47
(988 posts)on CNN this morning. Sickening---an expert trying to cover Trumps butt.
DinahMoeHum
(21,783 posts)"States Rights" and all that jazz.
bronxiteforever
(9,287 posts)CountAllVotes
(20,868 posts)Fuck you!
We don't want you around here anyway so just FUCK OFF already would you?
This is the sad reality of life for these POOR Americans and yes, you must be POOR (having less than $2,000 to your name) to qualify for Medicaid which should not be confused with Medicare.
bronxiteforever
(9,287 posts)E Pluribus Unum.
This is the sad reality of life in America is that so many people separate the poor and disabled from America so that they are not even fellow citizens.
PS I retired as a Medicaid system employee 2 years ago so yeah I know the difference between Medicare/Medicaid. I was proud of my work as well.
ancianita
(36,023 posts)ancianita
(36,023 posts)ancianita
(36,023 posts)SWBTATTReg
(22,112 posts)BeckyDem
(8,361 posts)I hate this man.
Newest Reality
(12,712 posts)How, in a short time we have gone from hoax, to no big deal flu, to talk about foreign and even domestic travel restrictions and now to the game of, "beg me to declare a needed declaration of a national emergency so that when I abuse it I can say you wanted me to do it."
Brilliant game! Injecting confusion and changing the game pieces at each step in order to condition the public for his regime.
What makes it most deplorable is that HE IS continuing to play the game and test market at a most critical time when prompt and decisive action are required. We PAY taxes for that. It should be assured to some degree because, to me, that is one of the purposes of having a government and it is in the preamble to the Constitution which charges the government to operate for our welfare.
Oh, but to the Republicans, welfare is now a pejorative word, all you lazy welfare queens out there. Deal with your own deadly diseases! What, you want medical handouts? Yeah, right. Take your ideological wish list and get lost. Slackers.