Ducey’s concerns with Obamacare replacement begin, end with Medicaid
Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey's concerns with a Senate health care bill that would repeal and replace Obamacare begin and end with the state's Medicaid system.
(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
PHOENIX — Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey’s concerns with a Senate health care bill that would repeal and eventually replace Obamacare begin and end with the state’s Medicaid system.
“There are still some big issues that impact Arizona that the governor wants addressed,” Ducey’s spokesman Daniel Scarpinato exclusively told KTAR News 92.3 FM.
Scarpinato said Ducey’s office had been working closely with U.S. Sen. John McCain to attach three amendments to the bill, which McCain introduced in the Senate on Wednesday.
“It’s important that we get it (health care reform) right and it’s done in a way that’s actually going to expand health care options for Arizonans,” Scarpinato said.
To make it easier to digest the amendments, we broke them down below:
Pre-Obamacare Medicaid expansion
In 2000, Arizona passed Proposition 204 that expanded Medicaid to all adults with income up to 100 percent of the federal poverty level.
In a statement, McCain’s office said proposals to cut funding for early Medicaid expansion states could cost Arizona between $356 million and $480 million by 2024.
Scaprinato said the proposed cuts would be unfair to the people of Arizona.
“Don’t disproportionately punish Arizona for decisions that were made decades ago,” he said.
The amendment would ensure Arizona would not be hit by the cuts.
Extend Medicaid expansion phase-out to 10 years
Scarpinato said Arizona would need more time to adjust to the Senate health care bill — should it become law — which is why McCain’s amendment would phase Medicaid expansion dollars down over 10 years.
“We’d like to see the transition extended so that the rug isn’t pulled out from under Arizonans, similar, frankly, to the way it was done with Obamcare where people lost the insurance that they liked,” he said.
McCain’s statement said the Senate health care bill would leave states to pick up the tab during the transition without time to prepare.
According to McCain’s statement, Ducey said Arizona would “not have the budget capacity needed to continue providing coverage to Medicaid recipients if federal matching funds to states are drastically reduced in such a short period of time.”
Change the growth rate for Medicaid
Scarpinato said Arizona operates one of the most effective Medicaid programs in the country, but the Senate health bill would punish — not reward — the state for saving taxpayers money.
“The federal government has to pay less to our state because we do a good job,” he said. “We don’t spend as much as some of these big-spending, liberal states that spend money like it’s going out of style. We’re actually saving taxpayers – both in Arizona and at the federal level – money.”
Scarpinato said the health bill locks rates in place and that would reward states that spend more.
“If we spent what they spent in Connecticut, for instance, per patient, we would be getting $8 billion more per year,” he said.
McCain’s amendment would adjust the growth rate for inflation.
Comments
10 Comments
Yea but country Joe wont understand that. Remember he is a simple farmer with no 'big city education.' So to continue your statement is obvious in the fact that most people don't understand. I congratulate you on the statement you made in my reply. You are right about 'how this works.'
But I wonder if you understand the problems on the explanation you wrote. And you are also right that it doesn't seem fair to the people who don't utilize the services as much as someone else.
Also I know how it works.
You have to also understand some people are not on the same intelligence level as you are when explaining this. How are you going to convince country Joe on what insurance he needs when all he wants to do is tend the fields and take care of his family? He doesn't care he just doesn't want to pay more on a broken system that is fundamentally flawed in many ways. And especially what he believes when he talks with neighbors and the waitress at the small town cafe. Also its sad that insurance companies are now like doctors. They decide what care you need to have. Because if you didn't you would be broke and on the streets. Insurance is a business. They need to make money and profits. This is a flawed way of viewing capitalism on a basic service that every has access to.
By your story it's obvious Joe, you and others like you, and you admit it, just don't understand the concept of health insurance and how it really works.
Let me explain...
Health insurance like any other insurance is based on risk.
Providers need to take in enough money to cover their expenses, like any business.
Risk Pools!
1) Employer groups(1) - your company has 500 workers - your company shops around for the best deal - insurance providers see the workers' claim history - your in an "office" situation, clerical, computers - not a whole lot of illness and injury - your company is charged $400 a month per person - your company, as a benefit to you, pays $250 - you pay $150.
2) Employer group(2) auto body shop - lots of back injuries, busted knuckles - higher costs result - the company is charged $500 a month per per person. The cheap skate provider pays $200 of it - you pay $300!
3) ACA - No provider to pick up a portion - sicker people tend to utilize resources - no known claims history - higher risk - higher costs per month.
True, it does not seem fair to those that don't utilize services that they pay as much as the users.
I'm not trying to get in anyone's face here...an informed public is a wiser public.
Joe sounds like he didn't learn much in school. If he had, he would have found out that a healthy society is in the public' best interest and a single payer system will make it more cost effective for everyone to be healthy and subsequently, more productive.