New study: States that refuse to expand Medicaid will lose over $8 billion
The cost of protecting conservative ideology ...
http://www.examiner.com/article/new-study-states-that-refuse-to-expand-medicaid-will-lose-over-8-billion
When the Affordable Care Act was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2012, the "catch" was that states wouldn't be forced to expand Medicaid. The announcement was a tough blow for millions of low-income Americans and the Obama administration, but was welcome news for Republicans across the country. While it might seem like a symbolic victory, it will come at a heavy price if states don't implement the expansion of Medicaid. According to a new study by the Rand Corporation, the 14 states that don't plan to expand Medicaid will spend billions more on uncompensated care in 2016 alone.
"If 14 states decide not to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act as intended by their governors, those state governments collectively will spend $1 billion more on uncompensated care in 2016 than they would if Medicaid is expanded.
In addition, those 14 state governments would forego $8.4 billion annually in federal payments and an additional 3.6 million people will be left uninsured, according to findings published in the June edition of the journal Health Affairs."
The study notes that expanding Medicaid will overwhelmingly benefit low-income people and come at a small price to the states themselves. The federal government will pick up 100 percent of the cost of those added by the enrollment until 2016, and then cover 90 percent of the cost going forward. The federal government currently covers 57 percent of Medicaid cost. The study also states that not expanding Medicaid could cost over $18 billion annually for the states who refuse the expansion.
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