Florida's Obamacare-hating governor takes Medicaid expansion
Barb Shelly
Florida Gov. Rick Scott | AP photo
Here’s the Friday update on the hot topic of Medicaid expansion.
The week’s biggest development took place in Florida, where Gov. Rick Scott announced he’ll try to persuade his legislature to accept the expansion.
This is a huge development. Scott is a strident Obamacare opponent, and Florida led the legal effort to challenge the requirement in the Affordable Care Act that states expand their Medicaid eligibility thresholds to 133 percent of the poverty level.
The U.S. Supreme Court agreed with Florida and some other states that it was coercion for the federal government to withhold existing Medicaid funding to states that didn’t participate in the expansion. That made the choice optional.
Some GOP governors, most notably Rick Perry of Texas, have indicated they’d rather chew nails than expand an entitlement. But other high-profile Republicans — Perry being the latest — have yielded to common sense.
There are all kinds of reasons to do the expansion. The federal government will pay 100 percent of the costs the first three years and never less than 90 percent. That kind of money will act as an economic engine and enable states to rapidly expand their health care networks. It will keep many hospitals financially viable. And it will avoid the creation of a medical doughnut hole, whereby people in a certain low-income bracket will be unable to obtain either private or government insurance.
Meanwhile, back on the home front, Democrats in the Missouri House introduced a bill calling for the state to expand Medicaid eligibility from its ridiculously low level of 19 percent of the federal poverty level to 133 percent. That legislation won’t get much attention in the heavily Republican capitol, but some GOP House members are expected to unveil their own legislation next week. They probably won’t exactly call the expansion an expansion, but rather a new, “Missouri way” of transforming Medicaid. Call it what you want, if it gets people a way to see a doctor when they’re sick, it’s a good thing.
In Kansas, everyone is still waiting for Gov. Sam Brownback to say what he wants to do. With any luck, Scott’s announcement will help push him along.
Kent Mueller
2 months, 4 weeks ago“The federal government will pay 100 percent of the costs the first three years and never less than 90 percent.”
That is a heck of a deal. Oh, wait. Who is the federal government? We are the federal government, too? So this isn’t free for three years? And not 90% free thereafter?
Folks, if it comes from the federal government into your right front pocket, it isn’t free. It comes from your right back pocket.
George Hunsucker
Northland
2 months, 4 weeks agoScott is being nothing but a whore….
George Hunsucker
Northland
2 months, 4 weeks agomore good news from zero care….
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/why-your-boss-is-dumping-your-wife-2013-02-22
Mark Hastert
2 months, 4 weeks agoScott has a 33% approval rating in FLA. He’s trying to save his political bacon by casting off his Tea Party baggage. Charlie Crist is leading everywhere.
The Teas have gone from important to impotent in just two short years. Familiarity really does breed contempt.
Chuck Gatson
2 months, 4 weeks agoGreat commentary Ms. Shelly. Idiotic comments.
Chuck Gatson
2 months, 4 weeks agoGreat commentary Ms. Shelly. Idiotic comments.
Kent Mueller
2 months, 4 weeks agoChuck, can you tell me who will pay the 100% for the first three years and the 90% thereafter?
JR Beillenhouser
2 months, 4 weeks agoMark - Don’t kid yourself, the philosophy of the Teas, as you like to say, are out in record numbers. The party name has been smeared to death by the liberal media. The name may be disparaged but the sentiment is alive and well.
George Hunsucker
Northland
2 months, 4 weeks agoWhy zero is paying 100%, Kent, just like those free Obama phones….
Ain’t it wonderful to live in a place where you never have to worry about money—that’s libville…..
Mark Hastert
2 months, 4 weeks ago“the philosophy of the Teas, as you like to say, are out in record numbers”
No JR You misunderstood. I’m saying that the philosophy of the Teas IS out, mostly because when people started to understand what Teas really believe they turned away. You guys are like the Dems in the late 70’s clinging to old outmoded ideas. The paradigm has shifted out from under you and you’re late to the party…. from important to impotent in just two short years
Kent Mueller
2 months, 4 weeks agoSo,Mark, what are those outmoded ideas. I have found very few liberals who have an understanding of those.
Mark Hastert
2 months, 4 weeks ago“what are those outmoded ideas?”
Old white guys are kings e.g see posts above.
Really, you need to get over that. 90% of the Republican party look to one degree or another, like Haley Barbour. You don’t REALLY expect to win elections that way?
Reaganomics
People have caught on that what trickled down on them wasn’t wealth.
2.1 Ronald Reagan
3 The Tea Party are the “Real” Republicans.
Sorry but no. The Tea Party, in one form or another, has always been a fringe element of the conservative movement but for brief moments. In this more recent case The Kochs and Dick Armys thought them to be useful idiots but, as always, they’re too damn crazy so they’re being disowned.
The party is already trying to reinvent itself and by 2014 forums like this will be all the crackpots have left.
Americans hate big government.
Actually Americans like the things government does. They just want it to be done more effectively and efficiently. I’m sure that even GH & JR like their Medicare insurance and prescriptions drugs and the knowledge that, no matter what, there fellow Americans won’t allow them to die in poverty. They like safe food, roads & bridges, defense, etc and they also know in their heart of hearts that a great many things would go undone if left to those who only see value in dollars. Which is really lucky for them!
The day that the Republican Party begins to reinterpret their conservative principles into useful ideas that are responsive to the American people will be the day the renewal will begin…..I’m not hopeful that it will be soon…. but there are glimmers
Kent Mueller
2 months, 4 weeks agoOnce again, Mark can write a long post in response to a question, but write very little to answer the question.
Let’s wade through all this.
Once again, instead of addressing an issue, Mark goes on the attack of how people look. Or, at least tries. Only people on the left can use the old canard, old white guys. Sure, the demographics show the right to be more Caucasian and somewhat older. But,what’s the point? Other than using that as your way to call the right racist. If you want to call the right a bunch of racists, Mark, then be a grownup and come out and say it. Put your big boy pants on and say it. As far as the age difference, that has always been there. I remember seeing the same age demographics many years ago (Yes, I’m 56 and white. Come after me for being an Old White Guy if you want). The initial thought was that as people with more liberal tendencies age then the liberals would have a permanent majority. But a funny thing has always happened. As people age and gain more wisdom, responsibility and experience in this world, they on average, become more conservative. Which begs the question, Mark. When will you start to grow up?
2 Reaganomics. This is Mark’s infrequent attempt to address an issue. Congratulations. Obviously, we disagree, but that is OK. Of course, Mark uses the left’s denigrating phraseology that implies the wealthy do nothing other than lounge around at the Hamptons.
2.1 Reagan. Mark points out that he is dead. True. But, once again Mark doesn’t speak of an issue. I suppose Mark is drawing a contrast between Reagan and some of today’s politicians on the right. Sure, there will be differences. Times and situations are different. To imply parties don’t, or shouldn’t change over time says that today’s Democrats are the same as Humphrey, Johnson, Orval Faubus, Mondale and Carter. The Democrat they no longer connect with is Kennedy, who understood that reducing taxes leads to economic growth.
Real Republicans. This is difficult to comment on because it is so convoluted. The Tea Party is quite new, yet Mark talks about how it has been in vogue for only brief periods as if it has been around for a long time.
To Be Continued:
Kent Mueller
2 months, 4 weeks agoInstead of addressing an issue, Mark reverts to name calling. Mark calls them “idiots” and “too damn crazy”. No issues, all name calling. Mark could be afraid to grow out of the school yard argument stage with his name calling, because as noted above, he might know historic demographics say there will be a tendency to move him from liberalism to conservatism if he grows up.
It’s interesting to note that Mark, who comments here frequently, indicates that it is a place for “crackpots”.
3.1 Hating big government. Here Mark shows that he is adept at left-speak. He says how the right hates big government and then says that people like what the government does. He addresses two topics in one sentence. Yes, the right dislikes a federal government that is too big and is involved in many things for which the Tenth Amendment was intended to limit participation. The right doesn’t dislike government, it dislikes it when the government does things it should not. And once again, Mark dutifully speaks left-speak by, in response to the right wanting to reign in the federal government, talking about defense and bridges. Evidently, the first expense Mark would eliminate would be either defense or bridges. Usually, the left claims that expense reduction means the firemen and police would have to go. It is interesting when the left reveals which expenses they believe to be the least valuable. They are the ones they use as examples as to what would be cut.
Medicare? It’s fine, if it is financially sound. It isn’t. You didn’t mention Social Security. That is fine also, but it needs to be financially sound. It isn’t. The left is making no move to make SS sound. However, Mark is honest when he alludes to the right paying attention to “value in dollars”. By not paying attention to that, we now have billion dollar deficits.
With the Tea Party being a grassroots, bottom up, loosely organized group of people, there is no list of core ideals. However, I believe many will agree that this generally describes the Tea Party movement:
The federal government has powers enumerated by the Constitution. All others are relegated to the States and to the People.
The federal government needs to manages its (our) finances in a responsible way and not run up huge debts with huge deficits.
Those two core beliefs go a long way to describing most of the right.
George Hunsucker
Northland
2 months, 4 weeks agoThe Tea Party despite the lib’s hopes will be a growing force within America.
Following the financial crisis brought on by zero’s wild spending, America will look to those people who want and are capable of controlling a runaway federal govt. \
The Tea Party will help America find its way back from the dark days of zero and the rest of his community organizers….
Hastert’s parents must be soooooooooooo proud of his continual displayed hate for we old people…..
Mark Hastert
2 months, 4 weeks ago“Tea Party being a grassroots, bottom up,”
that never asked where the bankroll was coming from., who financed all those buses, flew in the speakers, paid for the stages & sound systems. They were the useful idiots that are no longer useful. The “RINO”s are back in control and everybody is eating their words from the past few years. The whole party is on spin cycle.
GH I don’t hate old people, I hope to be one someday. I don’t think there was anything in my post that could’t be taken that way. I don’t like hypocrites sucking on the gov’t teat with one face and whining about it out of the other but if the shoe fits..
Kent Mueller
2 months, 4 weeks agoSo, Mark calls receiving Medicare and Social Security “sucking on the gov’t teat”. Did everyone get that loud and clear. If you receive Medicare and/or Social Security then Mark believes you are sucking on the government teat. If that is not true, then his last sentence is totally senseless (That is always a possibility with Mark). In defending his derogatory label of “old white men”, he claims it is hypocritical for someone who receives Medicare or Social Security to want reduce federal spending. That makes no sense.
And no Mark, you don’t hate old people in general. Only those who want limits put on the federal government, as the founders intended.
And yes, a few buses. Some money from some monied people. But that doesn’t deny that it was a groundswell from the bottom up. Without that, those buses would have been empty.
George Hunsucker
Northland
2 months, 4 weeks agoI stand by my statement that his parents must be sooooooooooooooo proud of his dislike for old people…..
Mark Hastert
2 months, 4 weeks agoOK GH I’ll fess up I do dislike some old people….but not all. There’s the grouchy old guy who yells at the neighborhood kids. The old fart who’s always berates at his long suffering spouse. The old curmudgeons who live in their imaginations of a past that was better than the present….Those guys are hard for anybody to like.
Besides old is a state of mind not chronology. It’s clear than some of our conservative friends are in a state of mind. Then sometimes I meet chronologically older people with a light in their eyes that reveals the youth in their hearts and spirits. They’re not old…. Then there are those that appear to have been born old.
As to my referencing the Republicans as a party of old white guys that’s not disparaging….that’s demographics. You can trot out Rubio & Ryan and a few others but they’re window dressing. The Republican party is suffering from a state of mind. It’s old, it’s members are old, it’s ideas are old. Oddly the philosophy is not, just lacking in imagination. It needs some young thinkers to reinvigorate it.
Kent Mueller
2 months, 3 weeks agoMark, you can’t get around that your “old white guys” label is ageist, racist and sexist.
Mark Hastert
2 months, 3 weeks agoSure I can Kent. There’s no perjorative in the language. It’s interesting that you would perceive it that way. The people I’m describing ARE older, white and men (aka old white guys) which is the defining demographic of the Republican party. Besides, as I said, it’s a state of mind not chronology.