Medicaid News
Latest Update: The big Medicaid news on everyone’s minds is the long and short-term effects of the health care reform process. With a bill in the House and another in the Senate, it looks as if we are in the final stages of an historic health care sea change. Even the most motivated opponents have all but conceded victory.
What does this mean for Medicaid?
- For Nebraskans, a nice little bribe bonus due to Senator Ben Nelson’s dealmongering. Apparently the other 49 states will suffer for not having their Senators go to the highest bidder. Well, I shouldn’t talk…I’m from Harry Reid’s state…you know, the one that refuses to legalize online gambling (LOL)
- Some of us who are familiar with Medicaid have been wondering (more and more loudly as time goes on) about the constantly-quoted numbers of people who aren’t getting health insurance. After all, wasn’t that the whole point of Medicaid (and Medicare) — to provide health care for those that can’t afford it? One might think we could save a lot of time and money (and non-stop weary debate) if existing programs were expanded and made more effective.
- We think that it’s very simple: expand eligibility to cover people who cannot afford insurance or do not have access to employer-assisted insurance. Much of the infrastructure of the program is already in place, which would save plenty of money right there…and a handful of creativity and motivation could easily streamline both the funding and application processes.
- Like a lot of people, we lament the failure of Congress to support a public option in the existing reform. We’re also a little uneasy about the prospect of mandated insurance — it seems as if the main beneficiaries of reform will be insurance companies rather than people who do not get proper health care. However, many people seem to have lost sight of the fact that a certain amount of ‘public option’ does exist already, and provides services with significantly more efficiency and effect than nearly any health insurance business.
- Ultimately, we feel that the debate has drifted a little too far toward the topic of insurance. This is ‘health care reform’, not ‘insurance reform’ (though that would be a great topic!). The whole point is to get medical care for people who need it, not force insurance on everyone.