Christie urged to expand Medicaid

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Herald News

Christie urged to expand Medicaid
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
BY ANTHONY CAMPISIAND LINDY WASHBURN
STAFF WRITERS
Herald News

A coalition of health care advocates and other groups is pressing Governor Christie to announce the expansion of the state's Medicaid program for poor people during his annual budget address today.

The federal government has told states it will pick up the entire cost of expanding Medicaid for three years beginning in 2014. Afterward, its contribution would decrease by 10 percent.

New Jersey is one of only 11 states still undecided about the expansion, which is part of the federal health care overhaul.
According to estimates from the Rutgers Center for State Health Policy, the expansion would make more than 300,000 of the state's 1.3 million uninsured eligible for coverage, with about 230,000 people expected to enroll.

This is "one of the most important things we can do in New Jersey to fix our broken health care system," said Dena Mottola Jaborska of New Jersey Citizen Action at the press conference.

Read more: http://www.northjersey.com/news/193203011_Christie_urged_to_expand_Medicaid.html

[dotymed]

1. no matter how you package Christie,

he IS a bully neo-con. He may do this for political expediency, if he does it...

[The Wizard]

2. He'll do what Rove tells him to do

in order to appease the radical right for primary purposes.

[groundloop]

3. His right wing bonafides are a little lacking right now, he'll ignore those who need this.....

After having the audacity to shake hands with the President, Christie is suffering among tea-baggers. He'll likely ignore the needy in his state to help his reputation with right wingers.

[Purveyor]

4. Report: Chris Christie Will Support Obamacare’s Medicaid Expansion

Republican opposition to the Medicaid expansion appears to be fading fast.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie will announce his support for the expansion this afternoon, according to the New Jersey Star-Ledger, following a similar statement from Florida Gov. Rick Scott last week. He followed early February announcements from governors in Ohio and Michigan.

Taken together, these eight states will extend Obamacare’s coverage expansion to 3.2 million Americans, according to this analysis from the Urban Institute. They will take in a cumulative $90 billion in federal funds to do so.
The quick succession of governors to come out in favor of this part of the Affordable Care Act suggests that, when it comes to the Medicaid expansion, the lure of federal dollars may trump anti-Obamacare politics.

When you look at the deal that the states are getting, it’s pretty easy to see why. The federal government will spend an additional $800 billion on Medicaid under the health-care law to cover all those earning less than 133 percent of the federal poverty line (about $15,000 for an individual).

MORE...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/02/26/report-chris-christie-will-support-obamacares-medicaid-expansion/