Why ACA, and expanded Medicaid in particular, means the future is Single Payer Healthcare
Working for the state of Washington, in an area where ACA will affect us a bit, I sat in on a teleconference presentation earlier this week. Now, the teleconference itself didn't really contain a lot of substantive information, other than serving as a commercial for the vendor who was sponsoring it.
Not going to help them out with a plug. Not gonna do it. Wouldn't be right. Switching off my channeling of Bush I since my impressions are much better in person.
I was very pleasantly surprised to learn that Washington State and Rhode Island are tied at Level 2 in the funding process. However, I believe Rhode Island has issued an RFP to vendors to build a Health Benefit Exchange, or HBE, whereas we in Washington State have already issued an RFP and chosen a vendor. Not a slam at Ocean Staters. Both states are pushing the envelope and leading the country.
Now, the part that's relevant to the title. Under expanded Medicaid, if every state were to adopt it, the projections indicate that more than 50% of the country would qualify for expanded Medicaid. In some states, particularly in the South, it was 60%.
Even if 6 or 8 states opt out of expanded Medicaid under ACA, what happens in 4 to 8 years when the world doesn't fucking explode because of ACA, and expanded Medicaid in particular? Will a more moderate legislature and governor in those 6 or 8 red states get a little purpler? Will they do an about face and inform HHS that they now want in on expanded Medicaid? Seems reasonable to believe they could and that HHS would allow them in.
Medicaid for 50% of the country isn't that far removed from Medicaid for 100% of the country. That is the part of which the insurance industry must be deathly afraid.
President Obama has checked the insurance industry, and they are backing dangerously close into a corner and checkmate.
Bwa, ha, ha.
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