Recently, the Senator has heard from constituents via email in the form found below who are concerned about the state taking action to ensure federal funding for Medicaid expansion. I spoke with the state’s Office of Medicaid and learned that the Governor will be filing legislation to update the state’s laws to comply with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. At this time, the state is not at risk of losing federal funding under the Affordable Care Act; we anticipate that any necessary legislative or administrative action would take place before we would reach that point.
Anne Johnson Landry
Committee Counsel and Policy Advisor
Office of State Senator William N. Brownsberger
I’m worried our state will lose out on billions of dollars set aside in health reform to extend coverage to all low-income working people in our state, leaving our health programs continuing to struggle and missing out on huge economic stimulus and job growth.
The Affordable Care Act lets our state take back tax money we’ve sent to Washington to extend health coverage to our residents earning little or no income. Say “YES” to this funding, so we don’t leave billions of our tax dollars in Washington and threaten the existence of our hospitals, as they would lose money to cover uninsured patients.
Additionally, this new funding amounts to enormous economic stimulus in the state. With the Federal government fully funding the cost of new Medicaid recipients for three years and then covering 90 percent or more of the cost each year after, we can expect to see a resulting expansion of health-care jobs in the state.
As you make difficult decisions during the legislative session, I urge you to support an extension of Medicaid for all low-income working families and others struggling to afford health care. It’s the right thing to do for residents, and it’s the right thing for our state’s economy and hospitals.