Push to opt out of Medicaid alarms Texas health providers

[cal04]

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/11/14/103709/texas-push-to-opt-out-of-medicaid.html

A push from conservative legislators for Texas to opt out of Medicaid is stirring alarm among healthcare providers and nursing homes, which say the potential loss of billions of federal dollars could drastically undercut efforts to provide healthcare for the poor.

The opt-out plan has quickly emerged as another high-profile topic for the 2011 Legislature, pushed by Gov. Rick Perry and a number of conservative lawmakers who believe that Texas can provide health coverage to the indigent more efficiently with a state-run plan free of federal mandates.

(snip)
"Unless our state leaders can come up with a financing plan to replace the current Medicaid structure that's even better than what we have now, I think it will ultimately end up backfiring and costing more in the long run," said Dr. Susan Bailey, a Fort Worth allergist and president of the Texas Medical Association.

Republican Rep. Mark Shelton, a Fort Worth pediatrician, said: "I think opting out of Medicaid without a viable alternative is not a good idea. We need to make sure . . . the vulnerable people in our society — the poor, children and the elderly — are taken care of."

[madrchsod]

1. more bluster for the rubes who benefit most from medicaid

to them the poor,children,and elderly do not contribute to society.they only care when they need it.

[janet118]

2. Oh please, Texas. Do it . . .

You could show America what happens when you take away essential services from the most vulnerable people. Go for it.

We'll have to build a fence around Texas just to prevent its citizens from sneaking across the border into a normal state.

[tanyev]

3. Our state leaders couldn't even run an appliance rebate program efficiently.

State senators had sharp questions for the Texas comptroller's office Thursday about the much-derided launch of an appliance rebate program earlier this month.

At an economic development committee hearing, Sen. Chris Harris, R-Arlington , and others grilled officials about program foul-ups.

"The process was such a fiasco," said Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo . "It was pathetic."

When the rebate program launched April 7, thousands of Texans could not get through to phone banks or a website set up to handle requests for $23 million in rebates for energy-efficient appliances.

http://www.statesman.com/news/texas-politics/comptroller-officials-grilled-about-appliance-rebate-fiasco-648275.html

[southernyankeebelle]

4. Well the voters spoke and voted for the idiot they got. Now live with it.

[FloriTexan]

5. Excuse me!

Over 40% of us voted for someone other than Perry.

[Doctor_J]

6. however, elections have consequences

Texas now has a reactionary Governor, ultra-right-wing legislature and Congressional delegation. If the residents are going to vote that way, the price will be steep.