Ohio panel approves Medicaid expansion in victory for Obamacare

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Reuters

Ohio panel approves Medicaid expansion in victory for Obamacare
Source: Reuters - Mon, 21 Oct 2013 09:09 PM

CLEVELAND, Oct 21 (Reuters) - An Ohio legislative panel on Monday voted in favor of the state expanding the Medicaid program for the poor, in a victory for President Barack Obama's signature federal health reform law.

The decision permits Governor John Kasich, a Republican who otherwise opposes the reform law known as the Affordable Care Act, to bypass the state's Republican-dominated legislature to expand Medicaid, a move strongly opposed by many Ohio conservatives.


Read more: http://www.trust.org/item/20131021205844-ynxa6/?source=search

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(Short article, no more at link.)

[Divine Discontent]

1. HUGE 4th rec! YES!!!

Last edited Mon Oct 21, 2013, 06:55 PM - Edit history (2)

For states that still aren't in yet on Medicaid, those who need medical treatment can go to HRSA approved facilities (there's several in nearly every county) and sign up for doc visits/treatment based on income, even $0.

http://findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov/Search_HCC.aspx

HRSA health centers care for you, even if you have no health insurance. *You pay what you can afford, based on your income. Health centers provide

checkups when you're well
treatment when you're sick
complete care when you're pregnant
immunizations and checkups for your children
dental care and prescription drugs for your family
mental health and substance abuse care if you need it

Health centers are in most cities and many rural areas. Type in your address and click the 'Find Health Centers' button to find health centers near you.


this and other progressive stickers at --->
http://www.zazzle.com/shutdown_the_gop_by_voting_in_2014_government-128195183613839642?rf=238107662556833486

[tomm2thumbs]

4. in case the link doesn't work for some folks

There is a search panel on this page
http://bphc.hrsa.gov/

I couldn't reach the 'finder' through the link above

[Divine Discontent]

5. thanks t2t, fixed. :) n/t

[tomm2thumbs]

6. cool - thought it was just my browser being difficult again

your post was very helpful thanks!

[Divine Discontent]

7. really? thank you for saying so. n/t

[Tx4obama]

2. ... extending health coverage to nearly 300,000 residents

Ohio Will Expand Medicaid Under Obamacare, Extending Health Coverage To Nearly 300,000 Residents

Ohio joined the list of states expanding Medicaid for Americans under 133 percent of the federal poverty line on Monday, after a special seven-member budgetary oversight panel made up of state lawmakers gave final approval to Gov. John Kasich’s (R) decision to grow the program via executive order.

Kasich had to procure approval from a special panel of seven lawmakers in order to actually spend the federal money that facilitates the expansion. That approval came on Monday in a 5-2 vote, securing Kasich a long-sought victory and setting the stage for inevitable legal challenges questioning the legality of the maneuver.

Medicaid expansion, a key provision of the Affordable Care Act, is expected to cut Ohio’s uninsurance rate by over 60 percent and extend basic health benefits to 275,000 of the poorest Ohio residents. According to the Advisory Board Company, 26 states are trying to move forward with some form of Medicaid expansion, while 22 are not, and the rest still remain undecided

http://thinkprogress.org/health/2013/10/21/2812471/ohio-expand-medicaid-obamacare/

Bravo

[geek tragedy]

3. Regardless of Kasich's motives, this will help 300K human beings.

Wonder if the TeaBirchers will primary him.

[IkeRepublican]

8. They're trying but are short on funds

They're trying to push some 73 year old former one-horse-town bureaucrat who nobody knows about. It's what you'd expect...bleating about free market, lower taxes, Jesus and the rest.

Fingerhut of Cleveland is probably going to be the democrat going up against Kasuck, but I get the feeling he's not going to win, unfortunately.

Ohio only cuts republicans loose when they've embezzled millions of dollars and the press had some rare luck in finding it out in the first place. They cut democrats loose for going taking a leak once a day.

[flamingdem]

9. K&R

[Brigid]

10. Now if my stupid state would do this.

[gopiscrap]

11. excellent

[Guilded Lilly]

12. Kick and a gigantic Rec!

They will drop in line, one by one by one.

[JohnnyRingo]

13. K&R

I knew Kasich wanted it, he said so in February, but I never thought he'd get it past the Republican controlled Senate.

I think Kasich went for it when he discovered he could name it what he wanted. "KasichCare" anyone? I'm sure he wont call it that, but I think he believes he can still take political credit for insuring poor Buckeyes.

Personally, I think between democrats, and now the Tea Baggers, we can call him "One Term Johnny", regardless of this moment of logical compassion.

[pampango]

14. A longer article from the Times: Medicaid Expansion Is Set for Ohioans

On Monday, as Ohio’s governor, Mr. Kasich defied his party’s majorities in the state legislature to push through a multibillion dollar expansion of Medicaid under President Obama’s health care law. By a 5-2 vote, an obscure committee, the Controlling Board, which normally oversees relatively small adjustments to the state budget, accepted $2.5 billion in extra Medicaid funds from the federal government. The money, recently approved by Medicaid administrators in Washington, will provide coverage for 275,000 Ohioans who have not been eligible for the program, the Kasich administration said.

The vote was an extraordinary — and possibly illegal, critics in Mr. Kasich’s own party said — end run by the governor around the General Assembly. Mr. Kasich, who initially declared himself an opponent of the Affordable Care Act and who has declined to set up a state online health insurance marketplace, has argued all year that his sense of Christian compassion, not to mention cool economic practicality, favored extending Medicaid to poor adults and those with disabilities who do not currently qualify.

But Republican majorities in both houses of the General Assembly blocked expansion. Opponents expressed disbelief that Washington would keep its promises under the health care law to pay almost all of the costs of expanding Medicaid, the joint federal-state health insurance program for the poor, and worried that Ohio taxpayers would have to pay.

A budget sent to the governor by the General Assembly forbade Medicaid expansion without lawmakers’ approval. Mr. Kasich vetoed that item. At least three bills to expand Medicaid have failed.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/22/us/medicaid-expansion-is-set-for-ohioans.html?_r=0

The Ohio tea party folks are way unhappy about this.