General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsAnother red state just caved on Obamacare
Last edited Thu May 15, 2014, 11:01 PM - Edit history (1)
Another red state just caved on Obamacare
Updated by Adrianna McIntyre on May 15, 2014, 4:00 p.m. ET @onceuponA
Despite vocal opposition to Obamacare, Governor Mike Pence of Indiana just joined the ranks of conservative state officials willing to compromise with the federal government to expand health coverage for their states' poorest residents.
So, is Indiana signing up for Obamacare's Medicaid expansion?
Yep, but don't expect the governor to frame it that way. "From the very beginning of my tenure as governor, we've been saying no to the Affordable Care Act in Indiana," Pence said at today's announcement. "Medicaid is not a program we need to expand, it is a program we need to change."
Pence has proposed to expand an existing state program, the Healthy Indiana Plan, to extend affordable coverage to all Hoosiers below 138 percent of the federal poverty line. Indiana would pay for that expansion using Obamacare's Medicaid expansion funds.
Healthy Indiana is popular with its beneficiaries, but the program would have to change to become Obamacare-compliant. Right now, for example, it imposes annual and lifetime dollar limits, doesn't cover maternity care, and requires monthly contributions from most enrollees. The Department of Health and Human Services made it clear that some of these rules were unacceptable if Indiana wanted federal funds for a full Medicaid expansion.
He's billing this move as an "alternative" to Medicaid expansion, because the state is seeking permission from the feds revamp the Healthy Indiana Plan. But Indiana's special expansion still needs to play by Obamacare's rules.
more...
http://www.vox.com/2014/5/15/5716350/indianas-expanding-medicaid-thats-a-big-deal
fyi, Ezra Klein's new site.
Laelth
(32,017 posts)-Laelth
Scuba
(53,475 posts)Jeff In Milwaukee
(13,992 posts)So things are speeding up.
donco
(1,548 posts)the show me state will find the same loophole and....
xmas74
(29,676 posts)He's always wanted it and I believe Koster would be willing to fight for it, since he's gearing up to run in 2016. It's our legislators who want to keep us in the dark ages.
Brigid
(17,621 posts)I'll believe it when I see it.
Shandris
(3,447 posts)There's a lot of time between announcing an intent and what the Statehouse actually accomplishes.
Now if I could somehow stop paying so much for Medicare, my split household would be in good shape.
sheshe2
(83,927 posts)Cha
(297,718 posts)they like it or not.
silvershadow
(10,336 posts)Last edited Sun May 18, 2014, 05:14 AM - Edit history (1)
which hasn't exactly been widespread blockbuster success. It would have to improve greatly from what I have seen and went through prior to my current situation. My wet finger to the wind tells me Mike Pence put his to the wind and decided prevailing indicators where that he *needed to do something quick (anything, really) to give the appearance of being substantial, without actually being so.
You see, he's just itching to run in 16, not later. He has been since he took the Governor's office just a mere 15 months ago. In that 15 months he has made absolutely no waves, he has run a VERY low-key administration thus far. So low-key one might wonder if we have a state government but for the fact that Pence almost tripped over his shoelaces rushing to the radio and tv microphones a couple of times this year for snow emergencies.
"As commander-in-chief of Indiana National Guard" he emphasized repeatedly during his tv talkfests- you could almost see the wistful gleam in his eyes through the radio as he made his proclamations with strong, commanding yet fake voice whilst dreaming of the oval office. I really don't expect this HIP thing, with the program already largely a dismal failure, to have the impact Obamacare mandates, and I really don't see how they can make it so.
(Remember, under my theory Pence doesn't give a sh*t about actuality, only about seizing this opportunity to beef up his relatively thin bone fides, and quickly. I hope and pray that the officials in the Obama administration will entertain the state's request with a critical eye, require actual documentation, not let them have any loopholes whatsoever. But that's just me, and I could be full of it. ?
Warpy
(111,358 posts)I think even the Moron Corridor might cave eventually once their GOP governors are convinced their recalcitrance is translating into abysmal poll numbers.
The threat of losing their cushy jobs before they get rich quick will be too much.
Thinkingabout
(30,058 posts)What is so interesting is it does not cover maternity care. In res states where laws has been enacted to force births and again they want the births but don't want the health care.
vlyons
(10,252 posts)all those unwanted babies. What is the fate of babies born to mothers too young, too poor, in poor health, emotionally unwilling & unable, financially strapped? I guess they want to always have a ready pool of people to fill those ultra-low wage jobs.
IronLionZion
(45,540 posts)I trust Mike Pence as far as I can sling a piano.
This looks like its for show. Healthy Indiana is a very conservative program with much less benefits. If they cared so much, why wait so long to do something?
d_legendary1
(2,586 posts)After all conservatives won't really do something unless their backers get paid for their actions.
RiffRandell
(5,909 posts)flamingdem
(39,328 posts)to new members!
McCamy Taylor
(19,240 posts)ffr
(22,672 posts)GOTV!
NO
MORE
REPUBLIS!
Spitfire of ATJ
(32,723 posts)catbyte
(34,457 posts)& OK'd Medicare expansion. The baggers stomped their widdle feet & threatened to hold their breath until they turned blue, lol.
tavernier
(12,406 posts)Indiana nurses have lost jobs and considered moving out of state because of this insanity. Hopefully this crisis is over!