Today's Managing Health Care Costs Number is 74 million |
The Congressional Budget Officehas weighed in on the Better Care Reconciliation Act - and concluded that 22 million Americans will lose access to health coverage in the Senate's health care bill. Fifteen million of the newly uninsured will be kicked off Medicaid - more than were added during the ObamaCare expansion.
Medicaid is a much more important part of the health care system than many think - and plans to cut funds by as much as 50% will have an enormous impact not just on the poor, but on the elderly, the disabled, and those with mental illness.
The Kaiser Family Foundation has covered Medicaid comprehensively for years- here is their landing page. Here's a link the New York Times explainer published last night. Some important facts for this debate.
- Medicaid currently covers 20% of the US population, about 74 million, including most residents of nursing homes, 40% of those with disabilities, and 40% of children. Source
- Medicaid covers 45% of all deliveries in the US. It covers 67% in Arkansas, 72% in New Mexico, and 65% in Louisiana. Source
- Medicaid funds more than half of all long term care services Source The New York Times reported that some nursing home residents might be kicked out of their residences.
- Medicaid expansion helped decrease uninsurance among children from 12% (2000) to 5% (2015) Source
- Medicaid coverage is associated with lower rate of financial distress, and increased use of preventive care. Source
- Medicaid is the largest source of care for those seeking assistance for opioid abuse.
- Medicaid is the lowest cost way to expand access to medical care - largely due to very low fee schedules
- Medicaid funding needs are highest during economic downturns, making Federal funding critical to avoid gaps in coverage of the vulnerable during recessions.
Donald Trump promised no Medicaid cuts during the campaign, and Republican Senators and members of the Trump Administration were quoted this weekend denying that TrumpCare will require kicking people off the Medicaid rolls.
Speaking on CBS’s “Face the Nation,” Sen. Patrick J. Toomey (R-Pa.), claimed the Republican plan “will codify and make permanent the Medicaid expansion,” and added, “No one loses coverage.” His comments echoed those by Conway, who told “This Week,” “These are not cuts to Medicaid.” Source
This is an unequivocal lie.
You can't cut $800 billion out of Medicaid without decreasing the number of Americans covered. The Senate bill would lead to massive displacement in American health care financing and delivery. Rural hospitals would be threatened with closure. Community health centers would lose substantial funding.
People will die.
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