AFP-VA: Opposition to Medicaid Expansion Growing

Apr 6, 2018 by AFP

Energy growing as thousands of activists join AFP-VA call on Medicaid expansion

Richmond, Va. – Americans for Prosperity-Virginia (AFP-VA) hosted a conference call on Thursday with lawmakers, policy experts, and thousands of activists to discuss the current standing of the fight over expanding Medicaid under Obamacare in the Virginia legislature.  Senator Bill Stanley and Special Assistant to the President on Healthcare Policy Brian Blase disputed opponents’ claims that the Senate was wavering in its opposition and that the Trump Administration supported Medicaid expansion.

“Medicaid expansion doesn’t work. The proof is in the ruined state budgets and stories of lower access to affordable, quality healthcare throughout the country,” said AFP-VA State Director JC Hernandez. “We want Virginians who need access to quality care to be able to receive it. But placing thousands of able-bodied adults onto Medicaid will dramatically drive up costs and will push out truly needy individuals who rely on this program. That’s why our activists have been relentless in their efforts to call their representatives and make their opposition known.”

Brian Blase, Special Assistant to President Trump on Healthcare Policy, reasserted that President Trump’s budget was unambiguous in its opposition to Medicaid expansion. During his discussion, which can be listened to here, he also listed several reasons why expanding Medicaid would be a bad idea:

  1. Medicaid enrollees don’t see better health outcomes.
  2. Medicaid value to recipients is lower than the government cost of the program, and usually substantially below.
  3. Medicaid enrollees suffer worse health outcomes compared to similar patients without Medicaid.
  4. Medicaid patients’ emergency room use did not decrease, contrary to Medicaid expansion proponents’ claims. Indeed, there has been a surge of ER use in state’s that have expanded Medicaid.
  5. Medicaid expansion causes people to replace private coverage with Medicaid. In Virginia, expansion would lead people between 100-138 percent of federal poverty line now enrolled in exchanges to replace that coverage with Medicaid.
  6. Medicaid spending is exploding, crowding out funding for government services like education and transportation
  7. Many states that have expanded Medicaid have experienced much larger enrollments and spending increases than expected.
  8. The President’s budget repeals Medicaid expansion. The financing structure is unsustainable for the federal government. The Obama administration in 2011 and 2012 also supported reducing the enhanced match rate for the expansion population during budget and deficit talks.

For further information or an interview, reach Lorenz Isidro at LIsidro@afphq.org or (703) 887-7724. 

Americans for Prosperity (AFP) exists to recruit, educate, and mobilize citizens in support of the policies and goals of a free society at the local, state, and federal level, helping every American live their dream – especially the least fortunate. AFP has more than 3.2 million activists across the nation, a local infrastructure that includes 36 state chapters, and has received financial support from more than 100,000 Americans in all 50 states. For more information, visit www.americansforprosperity.org

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