Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Perspectives On Expanding Medicaid: Public Support Is Emerging; Vetos, Opposition in Kansas, Virginia Are Misplaced
Bloomberg: Bring Medicaid To The People
The failure of Obamacare’s opponents in Washington is prompting reconsideration among its opponents outside Washington. The end of the congressional effort to repeal the law has deprived leaders in 19 states of their rationale for rejecting federal money to expand Medicaid. (3/30)
Kansas City Star: Brownback’s Medicaid Veto Demands An Override
All that stood between 150,000 Kansans and health insurance was Gov. Sam Brownback, but he did not let that give him pause.He did not defer to the 82 percent of Kansans who now support Medicaid expansion. Nor did he give any fact-based reasons for quickly vetoing a bill that would save lives, save money and save rural hospitals in his state, which has lost out on $1.8 billion in federal aid since 2014 by refusing the help. (3/30)
The Washington Post: Virginia Republicans’ Position On Medicaid Expansion Is Indefensible
Four hundred thousand more Virginians could get health-care coverage, quickly and at minimal cost to the state. All that’s needed is for anti-Obamacare dead-enders in the General Assembly finally to put the well-being of their people over partisanship, as Republicans in a variety of deep-red states now are doing. (3/30)
The Des Moines Register: Grassley Can Help Create Firewall Against Medicare, Medicaid Cuts
The future of Medicare and Medicaid may depend on Sen. Charles Grassley. He is one of a handful of Senate Republicans who could serve as a firewall against harmful changes to these crucial programs that Iowa seniors rely upon. The GOP’S American Health Care Act would have cut $880 billion from Medicaid. With so many Iowa seniors depending on Medicaid for long-term care, it is perplexing that Sen. Grassley supported the AHCA. We hope the senator will reconsider his position the next time Republicans attempt to gut Medicaid. (Max Richtman, 3/30)
