The Virginia House of Delegates has unveiled their budget which includes Medicaid Expansion. On behalf of 100,000 activists, we are shocked and dismayed with this proposal. The inclusion of Medicaid Expansion in this budget proposal is both fiscally and morally irresponsible and despite the claims, it is far from conservative. Virginians deserve better.
The House’s Obamacare Medicaid Expansion proposal spends more on able bodied adults instead of the most vulnerable and the elderly. This crowds an already flooded, inefficient program with able-bodied Virginians. Thus, removing access to quality healthcare from those who need it most. At the hands of self- proclaimed conservatives, the most needy in Virginia will have a plastic Medicaid insurance card yet will experience extremely long wait times and have less of their medicines and procedures covered.
That’s not Conservative. Dependency and taxes may be prominent in the House’s budget proposal, but not in Conservative principles. Virginia has sought to minimize its dependency upon the Federal Government and diversify its economy because of the volatility of Washington politics. Yet, the House of Delegates’ budget is heavily reliant on Washington – especially in raising taxes to expand Medicaid under Obamacare.
Additionally, The Trump Administration and Congress are planning to cut payments to states that have expanded, yet increase payments to states that have not. Increasing reliance on federal funding of a program that is being gutted by the federal government puts Virginia taxpayers and the state budget at a dangerous risk.
It doesn’t lower healthcare costs or fix the problem with Medicaid.
Kentucky and Indiana have been heralded, deceptively, as models of success. In reality – Governor Matt Bevin was elected on the platform of dismantling Medicaid Expansion, and the waivers he threatened to kill Medicaid Expansion for are designed to do that very thing. This a model to roll back expansion – not grow it. Kentucky officials say even with work requirements, and all other safeguards – expansion enrollment will still be at least 437,521 in 2020 – more than doubling budgeted expectations. Indiana’s work reforms to Medicaid Expansion are also far from conservative. The Foundation for Government Accountability reveals that the Healthy Indiana Plan 2.0 “gives policymakers who have wisely rejected expansion in other states no reason to reverse course…” as the program has cost the state even more than traditional expansion. Furthermore, Vice-President Pence supports the President’s plan to cut Medicaid Expansion funding.
Thank your Senator for standing strong against Medicaid Expansion.
We are thankful for the champions in the Senate who continue to stand strong against Medicaid Expansion. Just see what Senator Ryan McDougle shared on their efforts to solve the true problem with healthcare: cost. This is the kind of leadership Virginia needs right now. Such bold and conservative healthcare reform is in stark contrast to the house plan.
Consequences: Delegates and senators who support more dependency, higher taxes, and price-gouged healthcare should consider the political ramifications of supporting Medicaid expansion. We applaud the consistent conservatives. Medicaid expansion will not help Virginians who depend on this program.
Americans for Prosperity remains steadfast in our opposition to Medicaid expansion under Obamacare and instead supports patient-centered reforms that expand the supply of medical care to provide better health, for more people, at a lower cost.
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JC Hernandez is the Virginia State Director of
Americans for Prosperity.
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