States With Expanded Health Coverage Fight Bill

[IndianaGreen]

States With Expanded Health Coverage Fight Bill

By KATE ZERNIKE
Published: December 26, 2009

States that have already broadly expanded health care coverage are pushing back against the Senate overhaul bill, arguing that it unfairly penalizes them in favor of states that have done little or nothing to extend benefits to the uninsured.

With tax revenues down and budgets breaking, the states — including Arizona, California, New Jersey, New York and Wisconsin — say they cannot afford to essentially subsidize other states’ expansion of health care.

The bill passed by the Senate on Thursday would move toward universal health insurance coverage in large part by expanding Medicaid, a program whose costs have traditionally been shared by the states and the federal government.

But the roughly 20 states that have already expanded coverage in some form will pay a greater proportion of their new Medicaid costs under the bill than those states, largely in the South, that until now have covered relatively few of their poorest residents.

Medicaid covers about 60 million Americans, mostly low-income families and pregnant women, though some states have expanded eligibility to include childless adults under 65. It accounts for about one-fifth of state budgets, on average.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/27/health/policy/27states.html?_r=1

[xchrom]

1. What an interesting turn of events. Nt

[Doctor_J]

2. I wondered when the Blue states were going to get tired of

subsidizing Haley Barbour, Mark Sanford, and the rest of the secessionists. This would probably be an excellent time to take up on a grand scale what to do with LimBeckistan.

[dkf]

3. Kind of late huh?

What were they thinking all this time?

[eilen]

4. Probably waiting for the actual nitty gritty details of the bill to emerge. nt

[Walk away]

5. We thought there would be a public option or a buy in to Medicare.

That's what our representatives were working for.

[dkf]

6. But weren't both bills looking at expanding Medicaid and isn't that what

They are upset about?

[Walk away]

8. What does expanding Medicaid have to do with buying into Medicare.

The middle class is paying for this and getting absolutely nothing. Most of us are already covered but the premiums are killing us. Both these bills send premiums for the middle class through the roof.

In NJ, if you are below a certain income level (don't pay taxes) you are already eligible for the best health care money can buy around here, Family Care. It's free and includes everything. I am ecstatic that poor families are covered and I'm glad my tax dollars are going to something positive but I haven't been able to afford a blood test or a dental visit in four years. I am literally going to have to decide between my home and health insurance and it's my middle class taxes that are paying for all of this.

I can certainly see how republicans keep getting elected.

[Vidar]

7. Just another way Obamacare robs from the deserving & gives to the guilty.

[clear eye]

9. Good point.

I wonder why the NY Senators didn't fight this during the debate? (I'm a NYer and I've been watching.)

[undeterred]

10. Wisconsin has an expanded medicaid program also

and I expect Senator Feingold will raise this issue.