June ...“You yesterday on the Sunday (click here) shows were saying that is not true, no cuts,” Earhardt said. (On ABC’s “This Week,” Conway told host George Stephanopoulos that “these are not cuts to Medicaid.”) “Now, if we watch the mainstream media this morning, they’re saying you were caught in a lie.”...
The Governors are disqualifying people above 133% of the national poverty level. There simply wasn't enough money in the state budget to shovel to cronies. It had to happen some way, 2018 is coming.
January 24, 2017
by Shefali Luthra
...It’s called “block granting.” (click here) Right now, Medicaid, which was expanded under the 2010 health law to insure more people, covers almost 75 million adults and children. Because it is an entitlement, everyone who qualifies is guaranteed coverage and states and the federal government combine funds to cover the costs. Conservatives have long argued the program would be more efficient if states got a lump sum from the federal government and then managed the program as they saw fit. But others say that would mean less funding for the program —eventually translating into greater challenges in getting care for low-income people....
The only way to fight corruption and right wing politics is to educate the public. Why are Americans continuing to be ignorant of their own best interests? Republicans flourish in a sea of ignorance. Their politics count on it.
By Laura Joszt
...Recently, (click here) The American Journal of Managed Care® polled readers and found that while 49% of respondents do not agree with the GOP’s plan to fund Medicaid through block grants, 33% admitted that they don’t fully understand what block grants are....
...2. So how do they work? Block grants are a lump sum from the federal government that is provided to the states. The plan caps what the federal government spends on Medicaid each year. The fixed spending is based on the state and federal spending and would grow each year to account for inflation.
3. The pros and cons Currently, states must cover certain services and people. However, under a block grant, states would be given more flexibility to design their own Medicaid program. States could decide who is eligible for the program and what services are covered. Avalere Health recently published an analysis that found block grants could save the federal government $150 billion by 2022.
Unfortunately, these savings might mean gaps in services. In addition, while the block grant amount grows yearly with inflation adjustments, medical inflation is often higher and so the growth in block grants is unlikely to keep up. As of now, it is expected that North Dakota is the only state that would receive an increase in funding under the block grant model, while the rest of the states and the District of Columbia would see a decrease in funding....
Democrats should always know the facts and state the truth; where it is working and where it is not and why radical changes to the health care law imperils the lives of Americans, including block grants.
Democrats should be open minded to their constituents and the road ahead. This is about American lives and how to improve their quality of life. The additional financial burden because of block grants is enormous. Services to many people; 133% coverage compared to 400% is enormous no matter how you look at it. Additionally, paying physicians and hospitals are one thing, but, what about medications. When Florida refused the Medicaid expansion Americans died. They may have had the emergency room to go to and in some instances that doesn't even exist, but, the medications are impossible to pay for and that is why they die. Regardless the quality of care provided, it all unravels and Americans die because they can't afford the medications.
January 25, 2017
by Shefali Luthra
...Many Republicans say that, (click here) because states will have greater flexibility, they can innovate with their Medicaid programs.
But opponents note that experimentation alone won’t make up for smaller budgets. The fixed grants could mean states cut benefits or force beneficiaries to take on more cost-sharing, for instance.
Some federal requirements are necessary, said Tom Miller, a resident fellow at the conservative American Enterprise Institute. Block granting could “be great or a disaster,” he said, depending on how it’s implemented. “The ideal model from the view of states is, ‘Give us the money, and I’ll let you know what I did.’ That’s not going to work,” he said.
The potential impact is significant. More than 10 million who got insurance through Obamacare are on Medicaid and could be affected. That’s also why some Republican governors — particularly in states that embraced the health law’s Medicaid expansion — have joined their Democrat peers in expressing qualms....
Republicans always say a common health clinic will solve the problems of the poor. That is not the case. Where does the Working Poor and the abject poor find the monies for vaccines, medications and surgeries? It doesn't exist. So, while medical clinics can provide expert and competent diagnosis, the treatment plan can never be met.
And forget about physical therapy. The idea the Working Poor or abject poor would ever consider physical therapy the way back to health and wellness is out of the question. Who can possibly pay for physical therapy?
