Inslee: It's time to embrace Medicaid expansion
OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) - Washington Gov. Jay Inslee said Wednesday it's time to move ahead with expanding Medicaid coverage in the state, arguing that the effort is a good financial deal for taxpayers.
Some Republicans have expressed concern that the federal government may eventually lower its commitment to the Medicaid expansion laid out under President Barack Obama's health care law, leaving states paying the bill for providing medical coverage for more low-income people. Inslee said he didn't believe Congress would make any major changes in the program during the coming years but added the state has a way out if things do go awry.
"The state of Washington will be free to leave the program without any penalty," Inslee said.
House Minority Leader Richard DeBolt said his caucus was not opposed to the expansion.
"We want to make sure that, if we do this, that we make sure it's anchored in that if the feds back out of the program that we're not on the hook for this, and that we can put some safeguards on it," DeBolt said.
House Majority Leader Rodney Tom, a Democrat who is leading a Republican-dominated coalition in that chamber, said the state can't get stuck into a program it can't afford.
"If we're going to go that direction we need to do it in a measured way so that it does not create an entitlement," Tom said.
The federal government will pay 100 percent of the cost of the Medicaid expansion to start, dropping to 90 percent in future years.
Some Republicans have expressed concern that the federal government may eventually lower its commitment to the Medicaid expansion laid out under President Barack Obama's health care law, leaving states paying the bill for providing medical coverage for more low-income people. Inslee said he didn't believe Congress would make any major changes in the program during the coming years but added the state has a way out if things do go awry.
"The state of Washington will be free to leave the program without any penalty," Inslee said.
House Minority Leader Richard DeBolt said his caucus was not opposed to the expansion.
"We want to make sure that, if we do this, that we make sure it's anchored in that if the feds back out of the program that we're not on the hook for this, and that we can put some safeguards on it," DeBolt said.
House Majority Leader Rodney Tom, a Democrat who is leading a Republican-dominated coalition in that chamber, said the state can't get stuck into a program it can't afford.
"If we're going to go that direction we need to do it in a measured way so that it does not create an entitlement," Tom said.
The federal government will pay 100 percent of the cost of the Medicaid expansion to start, dropping to 90 percent in future years.
for curiosity's sake call any primary care doctor, or better yet call several. Ask if they are accepting new patients. The likely first question is "what kind of health coverage do you have?". answer "medicaid". if the office is accepting new medicaid patients, ask how far out the first available new patient appointment is. If they ask about medical conditions state obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure. post back here and let us know what happens. thank you.
Thank you Jay Inslee. I voted for you and am grateful your in office. I applaud your efforts and believe change is always difficult. Â In the long run, it will be a good thing. Universal healthcare will be a good thing. No one should die due to a lack of money.
If anyone wants to know how America add's up to the rest of the world, go go:
www.alternet.com and read "Is the U.S. #1, or# What?Â
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@Yoda AND THATS WHY WERE GOINGÂ BROKE. THE PEOPLE THAT LIKE IT IS THE ONES GETTING BENEFITS FROM IT. EVERY ONE ELSE HAS TO PAY FOR IT
So, who picks up the 10 percent when the feds stop paying 100 percent?
@Mr. HÂ Every one picks up the whole thing, through your Income tax or through the state taxes. We dont escape enything, only thing is the FEDSÂ can print money and the State of Washing has to BALLANCE THE BUDGET.
Medicaid expansion will actually have a chilling effect on Obamacare. Fed provides money for expansion, low or no income patients will join, causing higher taxes for taxpayers. And the Medicaid patients will have to continue to use emergency rooms as no doctors are accepting new medicaid patiens because of low reimburement rates. Catch 22... hospitals lose, taxpayers lose, anyone on medicaid loses, Obamcare in action. Rediculous
Bottom line, Obama is his COMANDER IN CHIEF A DEMOCRAT (wrote Obama care)and Ensley has to follow what he says. If any liberals that voted for either one should not be complaining YOU VOTED THEM IN. The State of Washimgton got stuck with Bill that the STATE OF WASHINGTON  dosent have the money so guess what you will pay more taxes. and waite till the 11 million Illegals get anoited and then your taxes will co up again.The new CBO estimate is going to cost over &1,000,000,000,000 thats a Trillion +
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Thank God many more people by Jan 2014 will be able to have health care security. Health care is a right not a benefit of a job. This country will see a huge jump in productivity once the Affordable Healthcare Act come in to effect.
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For all of you who say private insurance companys can do this cheaper, when will they start. This is why regulation is needed always.
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I am happy to have Jay Inslee as my Gov.
 @nwlib Me too, he actually cares about the not haves which is rare in today's political arena. I think that ignorance, not stupidity, plays a big part in so many that don't stand for the poor. They obvious don't see or have empathy for what's it's like nor do they think it can ever happen to them.Â
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@nwlib I think I am going to get sick...........
Mamuk, I hope you are being sarcastic: " Do away with the law that says hospitals must treat anyone regardless of ability to pay." What we need to do is eliminate payments to health insurance companies, who provide nothing of value while sucking up our insurance premiums, high deductibles, co-pays, etc etc. The money we would save with single payer health care would allow everyone to get affordable care, doctors to get paid enough, and we'd be like other industrialized nations, whose citizens don't go bankrupt due to hospital bills. Check out http://www.pnhp.org/ {hysicians for a National Health Program.
When he was congressman groups of business people met with Inslee several times over a couple of years. This guy barely has two neurons to rub together. He will never understand that we are broke and will have to beg China for the money to finance his desires.
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The one saving grace is that he makes Patty Murray look intelligent....
 @MonroeMad Makes Senator Dim look intelligent? Wow, I never thought Insley was particularly sharp, but I didn't think he was quite THAT stupid. But I'd not be overly surprised.
Medicaid is a scam. I can't stand the program. They cheat us in EMS as well as hospitals out of money letting the other people pick up the tab.Â
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The solution isn't Medicaid or Obamacare. Both horrible programs. The solution is giving those of us in EMS the ability to refuse by education taking patients to the hospital. Hospitals can do it why can't we? In fact the only "public" hospital is Harborview. Everything else is private.Â
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Currently the law says if you call me I MUST transport you if you wish - even if I know you wont pay and even if I know your condition isn't a medical emergency. I should be allowed to educate you in your condition and help you make appropriate choices.
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Medicaid a scam? Really, maybe you should talk to those who need it and can't get it. Gratitude is always good. Why so much negativity.
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As I read the comments on here I noticed almost all are against medicaid, let alone the expansion of it, but didn't see any solutions offered. So I will propose one. Do away with the law that says hopsitals must treat anyone reguardless of ability to pay. In other words, if you don't have insurance or cash, don't show up expecting treatment. That means the kid who got hurt at school, the baby born three months prematurely, the guy having a heart attack, the car accident victim. Simply tell them to come back when they have cash. After all, they shouldn't get something for nothing, right?
This is like giving people Monopoly money to pay their bills. Nobody is accepting this worthless Medicaid promisary notes anymore. Nothing but hope in the wind!
 @sometimesright Definately not true. Do some research.
Why the awful bickering for the fear that low income and/or those without medical coverage will "get something free?"
There is a more important issue that needs to be addressed. Those seeking Medicaid coverage can get issued cards all day long, but if providers don't accept, we haven't made progress.
 @BuddyHolly As insurance is changing, there are new providers more available.Â
 @BuddyHolly Why won't the providers accept it?
 @aintno1special  @BuddyHolly Because they lose money. If a procedure costs a doc $200, and the Medicare reimbursement is only $150, you lose $50. That has to be made up elsewhere, or else you go bankrupt. Simple economics, of which the government knows little.
 @RN1 BINGO, to me it sounded like "BuddyHolly" was passing blame on the providers. That is why I was looking for clarification.
No Mr Spendslee, it is not the time to expand anything. We are almost broke in case you haven't noticed and besides, 65% of the people are against this" Obumbler" care. There are things we would like to have and there are things we can't afford to have and this is one we can't affords.
 @lmdk2 obumbler? Is that redneck for Obamacare? You might want to read a paper since apparently you haven't in 3 years. Obamacare has support now. Remember November? The ones who wanted to repeal Obamacare lost.
Yeah, sure, let's add more people into a bankrupt and dying system that more and more doctors and hospitals are dropping. Great! What could possibly go wrong?
anyone here ever taken out a payday loan? you really want the money for your brother so he pay his health insurance premium for the month. your brother is grateful - his family now has health insurance for a little while longer.  then  you are in a traffic accident with an uninsured motorist at fault.   you were slightly over budget after the payday loan due to high interest rate and you did not make your auto insurance payment. now you have no transportation. you can't take the bus, because you live in Pierce County. you are late for work or don
t get there at all and loose your job. there goes your family's health insurance.   everyone following along?   your spouse makes slightly too much for your family to qualify for food stamps.  etcc. . . . . . .
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payday loans carry high interest and in the meantime your other basic needs do not get met.
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 @jennieb And this is if the person is fortunate enough to be offered health insurance at their job. I've worked for 3 huge and very profitable companies over the past 7 years, and health insurance has not been an option. I make enough money to get by OK, but not enough to afford private insurance or to pay out of pocket for healthcare.
We, as a nation, have already mortgaged our grandchildren's future. We are borrowing 40 cents for every dollar we spend. At some point, the federal government will have to cut back and in draconian ways. What will we do then?
 @Mike Pittman Cutting back on those that need help is not where to make cuts.Â
 @Yoda So where do we make the cuts?
@Mike Pittman We have good old Dubya to thank for this. When he was elected we had a balanced budget. When he left office we were in debt up to our eyeballs. Thanks Dubya!
 @OwlEyes Yes, he is responsible for some of it. Now let's talk about the incompetent boob that is now the President and how much he's put us in the red. How about his budgets. Let's talk about Obama's budgets that are so bad, not even anyone in his own party will vote for them.Â
And Barack Mugabe has bettered Bush by over 100% in the Debt Department, but since when have Liberals ever cared about writing checks drawn on an empty bank account?
 @Attila someone had to pay for the war(s).
 @Mike Pittman We will re-learn in person what is best learned from books - the pain of an economic implosion. But we will CONTINUE to not learn that what heeds to be done involves large numbers of jails, politicians, bankers, and lawyers, and maybe a few ropes, to dis-incentivize future stupidity by their successors.
The state of WA should have already opted out of setting up the exchanges. Gotten waivers for anything else it could,like many other states have done.Then get used to using the 10th Amendment of "states rights" .
Since Democrats are hell-bent on expanding entitlements and handing out Government freebies to their constituencies, even when U-6 unemployment and underemployment hovers near 14%, who exactly is going to pay for all the "free" stuff Democrats keep handing out?
@Attila The rich :)
 @Attila Unicorns, and the rich, of course, neither of who are paying their fair share yet. But, when the left runs out of other people's money, I'm sure the media will blame Republicans, yet again, for their heartlessness.
The straw from the Treasury into my wallet just got bigger and I hate that feeling. They wonder why we oppose tax increases? Stuff like this. We look to fund services before looking at what we really do not need.Â
Yo JAY!
In case ya didn't know, Medicaid is BROKE already. And you want to expand it?
Are you realy that ignorant?
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The only folks dumber than you are the ones that voted for you. God help us all.
 @bobalouie Someone in a post said he was sane
@Mike Only in Seattle â well, I guess that means all of WAâ¦..
More "free stuff".Â
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Got my EBT card, got my free phone, got my free breakfast-lunch-supper at school,  gotta get my Medicaid card now. Â
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Why work?
 @abelia Because we love our children.
The federal government is MORE broke than this state. How can anyone think that this will not turn around and bite us in the pocket book?? Thatâs right is IS Inslee and he will bite any spending  the feds put out, just like the last governor we had. Same old spend and tax plan.
It's time to embrace baldness. Stop with the comb-over big guy.
 @Rockberry I have
This country will collapse before it becomes the socialist utopia liberals think it can be. Piling on debt way too fast, 23% unemployment, horrendous inflation, and a severe erosion of responsibility being taught to the people. We are screwed.