Posted on 05/19/2015 10:36:36 AM PDT by Brad from Tennessee
Medicaid enrollment under Obamacare is skyrocketing past expectations, giving some GOP governors who oppose the program’s expansion under the health law an “I told you so” moment.
More than 12 million people have signed up for Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act since January 2014, and in some states that embraced that piece of the law, enrollment is hundreds of thousands beyond initial projections. Seven states have seen particularly big surges, with their overruns totaling nearly 1.4 million.
The federal government is picking up 100 percent of the expansion costs through 2016, and then will gradually cut back to 90 percent. But some conservatives say the costs that will fall on the states are just too big a burden, and they see vindication in the signup numbers, proof that costs will be more than projected as they have warned all along.
Obamacare originally expanded Medicaid — which traditionally served poor children, pregnant women and the disabled — to all childless low-income adults with incomes up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level (about $16,250 for an individual) across the country. But the Supreme Court made expansion optional in 2012. And 21 states, mostly with GOP governors, have resisted.
“The expansion of Obamacare will cost our state taxpayers $5 billion,” Florida Gov. Rick Scott said in an interview with POLITICO last week, referring to the 10-year cost.
In some states that did expand, the take-up has been startling — the result, officials say, of significant pent-up demand for coverage. In Illinois, nearly 541,000 people had signed up as of December, far beyond the 199,000 adults the state had estimated would enroll in 2014. The numbers increased to nearly 634,000 as of April. . .
(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...
It won’t be long before everyone’s forced to pay for insurance that no doctor will accept.
Then they’ll lower standards.
People will start to die...
I hate liberal elites....
1. They make less than $14,400 a year. In some cases, they may intentionally work just enough hours to stay below the threshold. In other cases, they can't find a job that pays more or offers more hours.
2. They aren't completely able-bodied. Especially if they are beyond a certain age.
Why didn’t those governors that signed up for this know better?
1. If they are Democrats, they can't do arithmetic.
2. If they aren't Democrats, they figure that they'll be long gone by the time the tax-paying voters catch on.
Most Americans are voting with feet against Obamacare.
The Medicaid enrollment surge is scarcely surprising.
Yeah, Obamacare sucks big time.
They can’t afford barebones Obamacare insurance?
If you’re a working stiff, what do youdo? You already pay half your income on housing and after food, gas, etc., there’s nothing left.
And Obamacare offers skimpy coverage, high deductibles and you can’t keep your doctor.
But what an opportunity to institute some free market reforms, no?
“It’s contrary to the interests of those passing out the dole to work themselves out of jobs. So yes, more people on the dole is exactly what they want. Job security.”
Coward-Piven, overwhelm and collapse the system.
you beat me to it!
“adults have always been eligible for Medicaid O-care just changed the $ amount it takes”
And dropped the asset test.
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