Source:
NY TimesBy ROBERT PEAR
Published: January 4, 2008
WASHINGTON — The Bush administration is imposing restrictions on the ability of states to expand eligibility for Medicaid, in an effort to prevent them from offering coverage to families of modest incomes who, the administration argues, may have access to private health insurance.
The restrictions mirror those the administration placed on the State Children’s Health Insurance Program in August after states tried to broaden eligibility for it as well.
Until now, states had generally been free to set their own Medicaid eligibility criteria, and the Bush administration had not openly declared that it would apply the August directive to Medicaid. State officials in Louisiana, Ohio and Oklahoma said they had discovered the administration’s intent in negotiations with the federal government over the last few weeks.
The federal government has leverage over states, because it pays a large share of the costs for Medicaid and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, and states have to comply with federal standards to get federal money. The insurance program was created for children whose families have too much income to qualify for Medicaid but not enough to buy private insurance.
Read more:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/04/washington/04health.html?ref=health
Too busy worring about keeping people from accessing heathcare when they should trying to expand coverage. Universal healthcare needs to a cornerstone commitment to the American people for whoever is our nominee's in 2008. No sellout to the healthcare/insurance corporate interests need apply, no BS they either sign on or they don’t get the nomination. This is the Democratic Party so it is past time that our nominee starts representing the American working class and stops being a corporate whore.