Surge In Medicaid Concerns Officials
Whadya know? I opened up this morning’s Atlanta Urinal and Constipation and they had an article about Medicaid expansion. Yannow, that bait and switch part of Obummercare that the gummint will pay 100% of the cost for the first two years, but then cut back to 90% by 2020. Of course, after that, they may decide not to pay any of it and the states will be on the hook for all of the money.
ATLANTA — More than a dozen states that opted to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act have seen enrollments surge way beyond projections, raising concerns that the added costs will strain their budgets when federal aid is scaled back starting in two years.
Now who didn’t see that coming? Dumb politicians like John Kasich of Ohio. They fell for the free money from the feds and now, when the feds are cutting how much they’re gonna pay the cost is gonna be a lot higher than the states thought.
Some lawmakers warn the price of expanding the health care program for poor and lower-income Americans could mean less money available for other state services, including education.
Once again, who didn’t see that coming? I did, and I’m just this grouchy old cripple dude down here in Georgia. Anyone smarter than a third grade pissant should have seen this coming. Kasich wants to be president. Sorry dude, you’re too stupid.
In Kentucky, for example, enrollments during the 2014 fiscal year were more than double the number projected, with almost 311,000 newly eligible residents signing up. That’s greater than what was initially predicted through 2021. As a result, the state revised its Medicaid cost estimate from $33 million to $74 million for the 2017 fiscal year. By 2021, those costs could climb to a projected $363 million.
Told ya so! Told ya so! Every gummint program winds up costing more than predicted. Just like the rest of Obummercare which will be a budget buster. Let’s count the Obungler lies. If you like your doctor you can keep your doctor. Lie. If you like your health insurance, you can keep your health insurance. Lie. Families will see their premiums drop by $2500. Lie. Obummercare will reduce the deficit. Lie. It’s gonna cost a lot more than the Dimocrats promised just like the Medicaid expansion was a bad idea. Shame on the Republican governors who fell for it.
“That is a monstrous hole that we have got to figure out how to plug, and we don’t know how to do it,” said Kentucky state Sen. Chris McDaniel, a Republican who leads the Senate budget committee and opposed expansion. “The two biggest things that keep me up at night are state pensions and the cost of expanded Medicaid.”
Boo freakin’ hoo! Fortunately, here in Georgia, our mean old governor who hates old people and poor people didn’t buy into the Medicaid expansion BS even though he was excoriated by the AJC for not participating in this “free” program. I remember uber-lib Jay Bookman of the AJC writing some op-eds about how mean the governor was for not participating in the Medicaid expansion. Governor Deal is looking pretty good right now. It’s kinda nice to have a real Republican as governor.
For patients who have only recently gained access to health care, the program is about far more than dollars and cents. And supporters downplay the budget concerns, pointing to studies that indicate the economic benefits of expanding health care will result in significant savings over time.
I want some of what these people are smoking if they think that this will save money.
[…]
Supporters of the expansion, including Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear, predict their states will save money in the long run because Medicaid will allow some state-run services to be eliminated and will stimulate the economy through new revenues and job creation. Beshear, a Democrat, released a study earlier this year touting the creation of 12,000 jobs and nearly $1.2 billion in new revenue to health care providers as a result of expansion.
Look! A unicorn! Get back to me in four years Steve and tell me how much money you have saved. You’ve obviously been smelling unicorn farts.
