(Arkansas) House Approves Private Option Funding

[Seeking Serenity]

Source: Arkansas Business

It took five separate votes, but the Arkansas House approved a bill Tuesday that reauthorizes funding for the "private option."

The vote was 76-24 in the 100-member chamber. The bill needed 75 votes needed to pass. It now goes to Gov. Mike Beebe, who will sign it.

Under the private option, Arkansas is using federal Medicaid funds to purchase private insurance for thousands of low-income residents. The program was approved last year as an alternative to expanding Medicaid under the federal health law.

The Senate last month approved the funding bill for the program. Several Republican-leaning states are pursuing or exploring a similar model for expanding Medicaid.

Read more: http://www.arkansasbusiness.com/article/97474/house-approves-private-option-funding

[bluestateguy]

1. It's not ideal, but compared to the alternative of no coverage it's a start

Regular Medicaid is probably cheaper, but a Republican legislature in Southern state this is the best we can get. Bottom line is that more people will get health care who didn't have it before and that is a step in the right direction.

[Seeking Serenity]

2. Three former "No" votes switched

Reps. Kim Hammer, R-Benton, Mary Lou Slinkard, R-Gravatte, and Les Carnine, R-Rogers.

[Seeking Serenity]

3. Here are the votes

http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2013/2014F/Pages/votes.aspx?rcsnum=2383&votechamber=House



SB111 - AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES - DIVISION OF MEDICAL SERVICES APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2014-2015 FISCAL YEAR.
Yeas
Yeas: 76
D. Altes E. Armstrong C. Armstrong Baine Baird Baltz
Bell Biviano Bragg Branscum Broadaway J. Burris
Carnine Catlett Collins Copenhaver Dale Davis
J. Dickinson D. Douglas J. Edwards Eubanks Ferguson Fielding
Gillam Hammer Hawthorne Hickerson Hillman Hodges
Holcomb House Jett Julian Kizzia Lampkin
Lea Leding Lenderman Linck Love Lowery
Magie S. Malone Mayberry McCrary McElroy McGill
McLean Murdock Neal Nickels B. Overbey Perry
Ratliff Richey Sabin Scott Shepherd Slinkard
F. Smith Steel Talley T. Thompson Vines W. Wagner
Walker Wardlaw D. Whitaker B. Wilkins H. Wilkins Williams
Word Wren Wright Mr. Speaker

Nays
Nays: 24
Alexander Ballinger Barnett Clemmer Cozart Deffenbaugh
Dotson C. Douglas Farrer Fite Gossage Harris
Hobbs Hopper Hutchison Jean Kerr S. Meeks
D. Meeks Miller Payton Rice Westerman Womack

Non Voting
Non Voting: 0

Present
Present: 0

[sinkingfeeling]

4. Finally. But I think it's only for a year.

[Seeking Serenity]

5. Yes, but that's not different than any other funding of state government

Appropriations only last one year.

(on edit) The vote to create the PO came in last year's regular session. This vote was an appropriation bill to fund it for the 2015 FY (which starts July 1, 2014). It, like all other appropriations, would have to be voted on again at next year's session.

[groundloop]

6. Meanwhile, Georgia is going to great lengths to deny health coverage to millions

Our asshole teabaggers are voting to ensure that they, and not the governor, have the power to opt into expanded medicaid (which essentially means we won't get it until we have a Democratic super-majority in both houses). Of course our idiot governor is pushing this plan, so that he doesn't have to take the heat for not opting in.

They're also voting to make it illegal for any state employee to assist citizens with any healthcare issues related to Obamacare.

Fucking morons.