Kentucky Will Expand Medicaid Under Obamacare, Cutting Its Uninsured Population By More Than Half

[ProSense]

Kentucky Will Expand Medicaid Under Obamacare, Cutting Its Uninsured Population By More Than Half

By Sy Mukherjee

Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear (D) announced on Thursday that he would accept federal money to expand his state’s Medicaid program under Obamacare. That brings the total number of states participating in the optional expansion up to either 22 or 18 (plus the District of Columbia) — depending on the actions of some state legislatures that are still debating the issue.

According to a press release from Beshear’s office, the governor called the move “the single-most important decision in our lifetime for improving the health of Kentuckians” and something that is “in the best interest of the Commonwealth and its citizens.” He also stated that an analysis of the expansion’s costs revealed that non-participation would be mean losing money for the state, echoing the fiscal argument made by West Virginia Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin (D) last week.

Beshear certainly has his numbers right. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, Medicaid expansion will cut Kentucky’s high uninsurance rate by over 55 percent, and the price of noncompliance could be as high as $40 million by 2021. Considering upcoming cuts to safety net hospitals that serve poor residents and the reality that nearly one in three Kentuckians living below 139 percent of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) is uninsured, that would have proven to be an unaffordable cost from both a fiscal and a public health standpoint.

What’s less clear is how much difficulty Beshear will have with gaining the support of lawmakers in a state that has elected ardent Obamacare opponents like Sens. Mitch McConnell (R) and Rand Paul (R). Democrats hold an 11-seat edge in Kentucky’s state House, while Republicans hold an 11-seat edge in the state Senate. Convincing those 11 Republican state senators could be difficult, considering that several other GOP governors in highly uninsured states are still battling their own party members to cooperate with the health law’s Medicaid expansion.

http://thinkprogress.org/health/2013/05/09/1989701/kentucky-expand-medicaid/

KY-Sen: Mitch McConnell (R) Goes After Gov. Steve Beshear (D. KY) For Agreeing To Expand Medicaid
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/05/09/1207360/-KY-Sen-Mitch-McConnell-R-Goes-After-Gov-Steve-Beshear-D-KY-For-Agreeing-To-Expand-Medicaid

[Cirque du So-What]

1. For all the regional bashing that occurs on DU

at least KY voters elected a Democratic governor last time around, and now the entire population of the Commonwealth is reaping the benefits. It's currently not working out so well for those residing in so-called 'enlightened' states to the north.

[Puzzledtraveller]

2. Medicaid caseworker in KY

There is still considerably a long way to go before we would see newly eligible clients. The HBE are closer to being ready. We have received some training on how they will work. However they won't be managed by caseworkers but the navigators we are beginning to hear about. Now, with expanded medicaid I will definitely see more work. There will have to be some major changes however but now is a good time as we were already in the process of overhauling and redesigning how we operate. Hopefully we will see a major hiring effort as presently we do now have near enough caseworkers to accommodate and influx of newly eligible clients.

[ProSense]

3. Hopeful signs. Thanks. n/t

[Scurrilous]

4. Good news.

K & R

[ProSense]

5. FYI:

State Decisions on Health Insurance Exchanges and the Medicaid Expansion, as of May 9, 2013
http://kff.org/health-reform/state-indicator/state-decisions-for-creating-health-insurance-exchanges-and-expanding-medicaid/

[PennsylvaniaMatt]

6. Very good news for Kentucky!

Ironic that many people that receive Medicaid, and many of the people that will benefit from this expansion, are anti-Obama and anti-Democrat!

Way to go, Governor Beshear!

[Mr. David]

7. McConnell needs to be retired, permanently.

In 2014.

Judd needs to reconsider her decision not to run.

[Major Hogwash]

8. I wonder if Chris Christie knows about this.

Or, for that matter, Rand Paul.