Ryan plan to slash Medicaid will cost the economy nearly two million private sector jobs

[eridani]

http://www.epi.org/analysis_and_opinion/entry/ryan_plan_to_slash_medicaid_will_cost_the_economy_nearly_two_million_privat/


Currently, Medicaid provides comprehensive health coverage to the elderly, disabled, children, and low-income adults.<1> The cost of providing health care coverage is split between the federal government and the states. House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R.-Wisc.) released a budget resolution this week that would “block grant” Medicaid, meaning that it would give states a fixed amount of money rather than provide a fixed share of the total costs. Because these grants would grow more slowly than the expected inflation rate for health care costs, this proposal would have the federal government shift an increasing amount of the coverage costs onto states, who will be in turn forced to cut health benefits and other services, cut public investments such as education and transportation, or raise taxes.

Assuming states responded by cutting Medicaid benefits, this plan would certainly inflict enormous hardship on the most vulnerable populations in society by depriving them of access to basic health care.<2> But it would also have a significant jobs impact.

Over the next five years (during which time CBO projects that the economy will still be below potential), Chairman Ryan’s Medicaid proposal would cut the program by $207 billion, which includes both eliminating the Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act and even deeper cuts to the Medicaid program. Using a standard macroeconomic model that is consistent with private- and public-sector forecasters, we find that a $207 billion cut would result in a loss of 2.1 million jobs over the next five years, or 2.9 million full-time equivalent jobs.<3> These figures are in job-years, which refer to a job held for a single year, meaning that five jobs lost in a single year is the equivalent to one job lost over five years.

Furthermore, the job loss would overwhelmingly be in the private economy. Medicaid has very low overhead, as about 96% of the program’s funds go toward benefits which are spent in the private sector. Assuming the 96% ratio is relatively constant across states (or at least not systematically biased in one direction), Medicaid cuts of this magnitude would result in the loss of just under 2 million private-sector jobs, or 2.8 million full-time equivalent jobs.

[tularetom]

1. Sometimes I think the best plan is just to stand aside

and let them put some of these bullshit proposals into place.

The resulting chaos would ensure no republicans got elected for at least a generation.

But then I doubt if the country could survive it.

[sakabatou]

2. They don't give a flying fuck about jobs.

It was never about jobs whatsoever.

[Luciferous]

5. Of course it's not. They wanted to be in power so they could

decimate this country.

[liberal N proud]

3. Not to mention what the ultimate cost to the deficit will be

Paying for those who are uninsured and become a burden on the state.

[Luciferous]

4. Yep, because that's what we need right now. Where the fuck are

all the jobs the Republicans were supposed to be creating???

Paul Ryan is a douchebag.