Medicaid

HARRISBURG - The pressure on Gov. Corbett to expand the state's Medicaid rolls is no longer only geographic; it's now coming from within his own party. First there was Gov. Christie's announcement Tuesday that New Jersey would join other Pennsylvania neighbors - New York, Maryland, and Ohio - by opting in on the Medicaid expansion made available to all states under the Affordable Care Act. Now the heat is coming from some of Corbett's fellow Republicans in the state legislature.

Gov. Christie said Tuesday New Jersey will extend Medicaid coverage to an estimated 300,000 uninsured residents under the federal Affordable Care Act. The move marked a turnaround for the governor, who had previously said he was leaning against the expansion, but the financial benefits appeared to outweigh any political concerns. Christie announced the planned expansion in proposing a no-frills $32.9 billion budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1. The Medicaid expansion, which will be 100 percent federally funded for three years, will save the state $227 million next year, he said.

I've had a persistent cough recently. Nothing serious, I'm sure. But if I need to consult a doctor, I know I can. I've got good health insurance. A couple years back, my wife faced a more serious concern: the Big C. She caught it quickly, thanks to regular mammograms, and got top-notch care. With luck, she'll be around for a long, long time. My wife and I are part of the privileged masses in America - the large majority whose access to health care comes through work or, eventually, Medicare.

As a Republican, Jamie Coleman might be expected to side with Pennsylvania Gov. Corbett when he wrote that an expansion of federal Medicaid - health coverage for the poor - would be a bad idea for state taxpayers. But as a nurse at the Hershey Medical Center, she has a different point of view: "There will be some impact," Coleman said. "What that means we don't know yet. We're not sure if it is going to cause layoffs, or if there will be some facilities in the state closing down.

A coalition of health care, faith, and civil-rights groups rallied Tuesday at the Capitol in Harrisburg to ask Gov. Corbett to change his stance on Medicaid expansion under the federal Affordable Care Act. Corbett, in his budget address last week, said his administration had no immediate plans to expand health coverage for as many as 700,000 low-income uninsured Pennsylvanians. Speakers at what was dubbed the Cover the Commonwealth Coalition rally said that by not participating, the state will give up billions in federal funding, burden hospitals with uncompensated care costs, and create further hardships for citizens.

WASHINGTON - Several Republican governors have embraced a key pillar of President Obama's health-care law and agreed to a major expansion of Medicaid, representing a significant retreat from their party's earlier, widespread opposition. Many Republicans balked at the prospect of growing the already costly Medicaid entitlement program when the Supreme Court made that part of the health-care law optional for states in a June ruling. Supporters of the law worried that the opposition, driven by Republican governors, could undermine the entire health-care overhaul by shrinking the pool of Americans who would gain coverage.

One in six Pennsylvanians lacks health insurance. These people are your neighbors and relatives. They serve food and sell clothing. They work in malls and casinos. They provide care for the young and elderly. People without health insurance routinely delay treatment. They get sicker, work less, suffer more, and die sooner. Their ranks doubled in this region in the last dozen years. The Affordable Care Act would make 631,000 more Pennsylvanians eligible for Medicaid coverage next year, many of them making $10 an hour and just getting by. During the first three years, the federal government picks up 100 percent of the tab, with support gradually falling to 90 percent afterward.

By Valerie Arkoosh and Marc Stier Imagine a new federal program guaranteed to provide Pennsylvania with $43.3 billion between 2013 and 2022 for repairs to roads and bridges. Imagine that the program is paid for entirely by the federal government for the first three years. After that, Pennsylvania will have to put in $4 billion. Imagine that despite the expenditure, Pennsylvania saves a greater amount because the new federal funding would replace almost $4 billion in state funding.

Rich gains in Medicaid expansion The New Jersey Medical Assistance Advisory Council, a group whose function is to provide Gov. Christie with recommendations regarding Medicaid, recently added its voice to the swelling chorus backing a Medicaid expansion in the state ("Figuring out Medicaid expansion is not easy," Feb. 1). In affirming its strong support, the group argues that this opportunity is historic in its potential benefit to New Jersey, its residents, and its economy, and that the $2 billion on offer from the federal government to fund the Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act is too significant to the state's economy for Christie to turn away.

WASHINGTON - Several Republican governors have embraced a key pillar of President Obama's health-care law and agreed to a major expansion of Medicaid, representing a significant retreat from their party's widespread opposition. Many Republicans balked at the prospect of growing the already costly Medicaid entitlement program when the Supreme Court made that part of the health-care law optional for states in a June ruling. Supporters of the law worried that the opposition, driven by Republican governors, could undermine the entire health-care overhaul by shrinking the pool of Americans who would gain coverage.