[Vision2020] Honestly, it's time to close the Medicaid gap

[Ron Force]

The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in
moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification
for selfishness. John Kenneth Galbraith

On Nov 14, 2016 9:28 PM, "Moscow Cares" <moscowcares at moscow.com> wrote:

> Courtesy of today's (November 14, 2016) Moscow-Pullman Daily News with
> special thanks to Dan Schmidt.
>
> --------------------------------
>
> His View: Honestly, it's time to close the Medicaid gap
>
> By Dan Schmidt
>
> Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in the Affordable Care Act decision in
> 2014:
>
> "We look to the States to defend their prerogatives by adopting the simple
> expedient of not yielding to federal blandishments when they do not want to
> embrace federal policies as their own."
>
> Blandishment:
>
> 1. A flattering or pleasing statement or action used to persuade someone
> gently to do something.
>
> Idaho gets federal matching money for state programs all the time. And, of
> course, federal requirements come with them. About a third of the total
> Idaho budget is federal dollars.
>
> I have been working for years to get my legislative colleagues to consider
> the proposition to change Medicaid eligibility so 78,000 working, poor
> Idahoans could get health insurance coverage. There has been little
> legislative interest in this solution; I struggle to understand why. I
> learned something from a colleague last session.
>
> We have seen Idaho's Catastrophic Health Care Cost Program (CAT fund)
> costs go down from strong enrollment on the Your Health Idaho medical
> insurance exchange.
>
> Thank you, Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter.
>
> But folks making less than 100 percent poverty level aren't eligible for
> the exchange. This is "the gap." Making Medicaid open to them would mean we
> would be accepting federal rules if we took that federal money. Thirty-one
> states have taken this step. We should, but Idaho hasn't.
>
> Here's why.
>
> At an event last session, I was milling around and ran into a conservative
> colleague. We share an interest in developing rural broadband access, and
> he had just learned of a federally supported program that would build out
> fiber to underserved areas at a 10:1 match. If Idaho invested $5 million,
> the feds would dump in $50 million. He was ecstatic to learn about this. I
> shared his enthusiasm. We need rural broadband in this state.
>
> Then I pointed out, we could get rid of the CAT fund and improve Idaho
> health care funding and save Idaho taxpayers with an even higher match rate
> (20:1).
>
> He frowned. He knew what I was referring to. "Oh, there you go again with
> that liberal Obamacare stuff. We can't take that money because the feds are
> bankrupt."
>
> "Just a minute," I caught his gaze and said honestly, "you just
> enthusiastically endorsed accepting federal money for broadband
> development, but refuse it for health care. Can you explain to me how you
> make this distinction? I want to know."
>
> "That Medicaid expansion is never gonna happen, not here in Idaho, you
> gotta know that."
>
> He was trying to laugh me off.
>
> I kept my gaze on him; I even touched his arm. "Look, I really just want
> to know how you make this decision. How do you decide when is it OK to take
> federal money, and when isn't it?"
>
> He looked away but I could tell he was considering. He honored me with an
> honest reply.
>
> "I guess I just decide based on what's important to me."
>
> I thanked him for his honesty.
>
> Improving the health, the well-being, the prosperity of Idaho is very
> important to me. I believe covering this "gap" population with a health
> insurance plan would serve us all.
>
> --------------------------------
>
> Seeya 'round town, Moscow, because . . .
>
> "Moscow Cares"
> http://www.MoscowCares.com <http://www.moscowcares.com/>
>
> Tom Hansen
> Moscow, Idaho
>
>
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