In the next few weeks a decision will be made in Topeka that will determine if you pay more for your health care coverage or less.
Medicaid is an insurance program that covers many low income Kansans including those that are elderly and severely disabled. Who is covered varies from state to state and Kansas currently has one of the lowest coverage rates of any state.
Under the Affordable Care Act states have a choice to expand Medicaid coverage so that people up to 133 percent of the poverty level can get health insurance. In real dollars that means only individuals making about $15,000 a year or less would qualify. Can you imagine being a working Kansan making $15,000 and trying to buy health insurance?
The expansion of Medicaid has been attacked for costing the state too much money. In reality not expanding Medicaid will cost all of us significantly more money in higher health insurance premiums and lost economic opportunity.
First, the actual costs, the federal government will absorb 100% of the costs for the first three years of the expansion. Kansas will pay zero dollars for the expansion. There will be some costs as people already eligible enroll because of expansion publicity. After the first three years the cost to the state gradually increases to a maximum of 10% of the entire bill, the rest is paid by the federal government.
Now let’s look at the money Medicaid expansion will generate and the savings it means for you and me:
• Lower health insurance premiums because there will be a reduction in costly emergency room treatment as more people will have insurance.
• The economic multiplier effect of injecting $382 million into Kansas the first year and more in future years.
• Job creation to serve the increased demand for health care services.
• Without it providers will have to increase prices to cover the expenses of providing services to uninsured.
Expanding Medicaid will save lives.
— Rep. Jim Ward (D-Wichita) is the Ranking Democrat on Health and Human Services Committee. The opinions in the columns solely reflect those of the author. They aren’t endorsed by the Kansas Health Institute, which seeks a broad range of opinion to stimulate discussion.