Study: States that reject Medicaid expansion lose money (Texas could lose $9.2 Billion by 2022)

[Bill USA]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/12/05/rejecting-medicaid-costs-states-more/3871811/

WASHINGTON — The 20 states choosing not to expand Medicaid will lose billions of dollars in federal funds, according to a new study released Thursday.

By 2022, Texas could lose $9.2 billion by not expanding Medicaid as allowed under the Affordable Care Act, while Florida could lose $5 billion over that period, the study conducted by The Commonwealth Fund shows. Commonwealth was founded in 1918 to improve health services for Americans.

Also during that period, the study showed, Georgia could lose $2.9 billion, while Virginia could lose $2.8 billion.

"There are no states where the taxpayers would actually gain by not expanding Medicaid," said Sherry Glied, lead author on the study. "Nobody wins."
(more)

Study: Refusing Medicaid expansion will cost states billions of dollars
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/govbeat/wp/2013/12/06/study-refusing-medicaid-expansion-will-cost-states-billions-of-dollars/

The Affordable Care Act requires the federal government to pay 100 percent of the costs of expanding Medicaid for three years. After that period, the law mandates the federal government pay 90 percent of the costs of expansion.

The 10 percent investment that would be left to the states, the study’s authors conclude, would be justified by the huge investments from the federal government.

“States that choose to participate in the Medicaid expansion will gain considerable new federal funds,” the study’s authors write. “States often seek to increase their share of federal funds, lobbying for military bases, procurement contracts, and highway funds. Federal funding provides direct benefits and bolsters local economies.”

Conversely, states that refuse Medicaid expansion will continue to be on the hook for billions in uncompensated care costs – as when uninsured residents visit the emergency room. By refusing to expand Medicaid, Texas will forgo $9.2 billion in federal funding in 2022, the authors said. Florida, another state that has said it won’t expand Medicaid, stands to lose more than $5 billion.
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[arcane1]

1. Prediction: those states will blame the losses ON the ACA in 2014.

Their voters will happily believe it.

[NYC_SKP]

2. AND....When the citizens of these red states learn how screwed they are, the states will turn blue.

It's genius, really.

I wish they wouldn't have to wait, but that's what will happen.

They'll look to the 27 states that DID expand medicare and ask who to blame.

K/R

[Gothmog]

3. Texas Democrats are trying to make this an issue with voters with "Texas left Me Behind"

http://www.democraticunderground.com/107813898 The concept is that the State of Texas is screwing itself and a large number of voters. The Texas Democratic Party wants voters to hold the GOP accountable for this stupidity.

[indepat]

4. That nobody wins with a redneck right-wing legislature/state houses is a message which should

ring out in every town, village, and hamlet in the land.