A Very Interesting Article about Medicaid and HCR and a Question

[Jamastiene]

(Keep in mind, this is an older article, but there is a point)

Medicaid Expansion Poses Test for Some Democrats
By DAVID M. HERSZENHORN

A major component of the proposed health care overhaul is an expansion of Medicaid, the state-federal insurance program for the poorest Americans. It is an idea that, philosophically at least, Democrats tend to favor more than Republicans.

But in the current debate, Democrats have reason to feel conflicted. That is because many of the states that have the most stringent Medicaid eligibility rates, and so would get significant amounts of federal aid to add people to the rolls, tend to vote Republican — including many Southern states that favored John McCain over Barack Obama last year.

Democrats, in other words, face the prospect of favoring a bill that directs a disproportionate sum of money to traditionally red states.

Why the disparity?

<snip>
http://prescriptions.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/09/14/expanding-medicaid-may-leave-some-democrats-feeling-conflicted/

As I was reading this article, two things stuck out in my mind right away:

1. (an observation) Currently, there is a real disparity in eligibility requirements for Medicaid, from one state to another. The strictest requirements are in Alabama. My state is also listed as one of the strictest as well. I was never aware of that before.

2. (a question) Will this HCR bill, as it stands now, require all states to follow the same eligibility requirements with the expanded Medicaid? Or will states still be able to continue denying Medicaid to poor people using unbelievably strict requirements, such as this atrocity against humanity:

"Alabama, for instance, sets its eligibility threshold for parents at 11 percent of the federal poverty limit. That means that a couple with two children qualify for Medicaid only if they earn less than $2,425.50 per year."

That is not a typo, btw. That really does say that in Alabama, a couple with 2 kids can only get Medicaid if they earn less than $2,425.50 per year.

Does anyone know, for sure, if the expanded coverage to help more poor people, even in states that routinely deny help to poor people, made to the final cut of the Senate HCR bill?

[Cetacea]

1. Good question.

I'm guessing that eligibility requirements will be expanded to include the working poor and anyone trying to stay alive on 2k a year. If HCR doesn't then it really is worthless.

edit:"The current bill would extend Medicaid coverage to adults with incomes less than 133 percent of the poverty level (about $29,330 for a family of four) regardless of whether they have children."

Thank you, babylonsister

[newlib]

3. very sad that there are still places like AL. nt

[Jamastiene]

8. If they set the eligibility requirements at the federal level and

do not let states change the requirements, that would help quite a few people in my area. Where I live is one of the most impoverished areas of North Carolina. The area where I live is a "blue" area within North Carolina and pretty much always has been. Of course, North Carolina went blue this time, but normally, the state goes red.

As it stands now, requirements vary so much from state to state, that some states barely offer anything at all and only to the most destitute who live in poverty. I was surprised as just how horrible those Alabama requirements were.

That would be one good thing I have found in this bill that I can get behind. I still have real problems with the anti-choice amendments though.

[newlib]

2. we shoulda known right from the start that when "reform" was

added to "healthcare", that would mean bad news for most people.

[surrealAmerican]

5. Did you read the OP?

This is the way things are now. There's a chance that reform will improve the situation.

[babylonsister]

4. I found this about Alabama...

but there are lots of varying opinions out there.

http://birmingham.bizjournals.com/birmingham/stories/2009/12/14/daily14.html

Group touts health care reform's impact on Ala.
Birmingham Business Journal - by Jimmy DeButts Staff


The current U.S. Senate health reform bill would boost Alabama’s insured by 374,000 people in the next decade, according to a health care advocacy group.

Families USA, a national organization for health care consumers, recently issued a report that said the state’s insured would increase because the Senate bill requires insurers to offer coverage to every applicant regardless of health status, age or gender, according to a news release. The report, based on Congressional Budget Office data, says without health reform, 97,000 people in Alabama will lose health care coverage by 2019.

In 2007 and 2008, the average number of uninsured in Alabama was 555,000, but the total will rise to 652,000 if the bill fails to pass, Families USA said. Nationally, the number of uninsured will reach 54 million in 2019 in the absence of comprehensive health insurance reform, the report said.

“The consequences of inaction are very severe for people in Alabama and across the country,” Families USA Executive Director Ron Pollack said.

The current bill would extend Medicaid coverage to adults with incomes less than 133 percent of the poverty level (about $29,330 for a family of four) regardless of whether they have children.

[Jamastiene]

6. Thank you. Am I understanding it right?

Now: Eligibility requirements vary from state to state.

If HCR, as it stands now passes, mostly unchanged, would eligibility requirements be set at the federal level or state level? In other words, are all states going to be required to use the same eligibility requirements from now on?

[babylonsister]

7. I'm not sure, but I'll bet not. Those senators who demanded

special circumstances for their states (both Nelsons) will have a different standard than other states, it would seem. But I don't know what the standard would be for all the other states. I just think that not too many senators went to bat for the people of Alabama.
If I see anything further on this, I'll let you know. :hi:

[Jamastiene]

9. Thank you.

If they will offer coverage to poor people through Medicaid equally nationwide, that would be a good thing. I hope they do, because I entered my info in the calculator on the Senate website and both the House bill and the Senate bill listed my rates as Medicaid all the way down the list. My main concern is, will North Carolina stick to that or will it continue to deny Medicaid to poor people who have no children.

Thank you for the info and the link. :hi: