“The time is always right to do what is right.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.
Although their rhetoric says that they are “pro-life,” Republicans really don’t care if thousands of Americans die unnecessarily every day because they do not have healthcare insurance. Unfortunately, the GOP views coverage as a privilege for those who can afford it.
The Democrats, correctly in my opinion, view coverage for all Americans as a basic right of citizenship. But, as usual, they are fighting with one another instead of rallying around a clear healthcare message that will resonate with voters in 2022 and 2024.
What should this message be? Ideally (versus pragmatically), Universal Medicare – Medicare for those both under and over 65. The extension of a program that works, phased in over time by age groups. But I am pragmatic. I know the votes don’t exist in a fragmented Congress, as explained below. Still, as Newt Gingrich said a decade ago, “Medicare is basically a private system with government funding.” Right, Newt, it is not socialized medicine!
People on Main Street know Medicare and like it. They can choose virtually any doctor and hospital. Private providers deliver care. There is very little confusion over coverage (with the exception of the drug coverage “doughnut hole,” thanks to President George W. Bush and politics). Premiums are reasonable. Supplemental insurance can be bought from private companies.
From a purely political point of view, Obama and the Democratic majority had the opportunity to pass Medicare for All rather than Obamacare back in 2009 but didn’t even consider it because they could not get agreement within their own party. By drawing out the political process and coming up with the very complex Obamacare (ACA) bill, the public … once highly supportive of real systemic reform … was left behind by Congress.
Still, the ACA was and is a lot better than doing nothing and “praying” for ill Americans, the traditional GOP approach. However, we must acknowledge that the ACA is a horse put together by a committee. Thus, it’s taken voters 13 years to finally realize that the ACA is working, at least as far as it goes.
In any case, due to resistance by conservative Democratic Senators as well as GOP politicians, Medicare for All will not pass in the Senate today. So, as a more pragmatic alternative, Democrats should push for immediate 100% federal funding to expand Medicaid in every state. Expansion to all states was envisioned in the original ACA bill but gutted by the Supreme Court.
In red states, Democrats have failed to convince enough swing voters that Medicaid expansion is needed. Thus, there are still 12 red states which are holdouts, including Georgia. Governors Deal and Kemp both made the same lame excuse – – Georgia can’t afford the 10% matching required to expand Medicaid. Meanwhile, Georgia has the third highest rate of uninsured in the nation, 16% for the non-elderly. That’s nearly 1.4 million Georgians without coverage.
Unfortunately, due to the current divisive political climate in this state, Medicaid coverage will only be expanded if it is done on the federal level. In this vein, Senators Warnock and Ossoff introduced S 2315, the “Medicaid Saves Lives Act in 2021.” However, expansion on the national level will not be easy — the bill immediately stalled. Right wing Senators are opposed to any change, even though the bill provides funding for 12 red states and no blue ones.
Conservatives purposefully confuse the coverage issue via social media by sending out false and misleading information distributed ubiquitously over the internet. The taxpayer may not understand what is being proposed and how exactly it will benefit the nation or them as individuals.
So, Democrats like Senator Warnock must state exactly what the expansion benefits will be. And they are considerable. An additional 678,000 of our residents would be covered if Georgia would just expand Medicaid under the ACA, whether via Federal or state action.
Jack Bernard was the first Director of Health Planning for Georgia. He’s a retired Senior VP with a national healthcare corporation. He has been on two Georgia County Boards of Health and is currently on the Boards of state and national healthcare groups.
Jack as always enjoyed the article. I am 100% in agreement, as I often voice on Hey Henry! You can bet if more Republicans needed Medicaid it would be passed in a minute. They look at people that need Medicaid as lazy people with their hands out. Little do they realize that their own lives could change in a minute, and they would be the people that need help with medical expenses. It has been said so many times that if Medicaid were expanded it would save so much money, due to less ER visits. Kemp only cares about the people that he thinks will vote for him.
tHANKS AGAIN FOR SPEAKING THE TRUTH!!
Anyone who says “Republicans really don’t care if thousands of Americans die unnecessarily every day because they do not have healthcare insurance” would rather be righteous with his partisan litter-mates than be taken seriously as an adult policymaker. Jonathan Haidt, the social psychologist, famously said, “partisanship binds and blinds.” Truer words…
Medicaid and all the other socialist handouts are becoming “entitlements”. The Government (also known as the working taxpayer) is tired of funding “freebies” for everyone. People no longer want to work (the job market is wide open right now because no one wants to work!-everyone wants to stay home and take the government handouts). Those handouts aren’t “free”-they are funded by the hard working TAX PAYERS of Georgia. The Government doesn’t make money it COLLECTS money to pay for all the socialist programs that people think they are entitled to like Medicaid. Out of control immigration adds to the problem–the US Taxpayer is fitting the bill for all their “needs” too. Most of my neighbors sit at home collecting money from the Government and they are perfectly capable of working, they CHOOSE not to. Contrary to your beliefs, there a lots of working Democrats who are also tired of the “free ride” programs. Most everyone with a JOB who pays taxes is sick and tired of people sitting at home on the Government dole demanding more freebies. Educated voters do not want Georgia to become another Michigan, Illinois, California–Democratic states ran into bankruptcy by Democratic leadership. If you want expanded Medicaid–move to a Democratic state that is handing it out! Problem solved.
Kemp cares about the financial security and well-being of the State of Georgia and the working class taxpayer. Ever consider what happens when everyone stops working because there is no incentive to work anymore? Why work when the government gives you everything for free–housing, food, cell phone, medical care, etc? The only person giving lip service to voters is Stacy Abrams–she cares nothing about Georgia, she’s just telling Democrats what they want to hear to get a vote.
You’re right, Life can change in a minute; instead of whining about Georgia not expanding a socialist entitlement program, get a job–they are everywhere!, make your own way, pay your own medical insurance/bills, buy your own things, make positive changes in your own life and stop depending on the Government to take care of you.
Under the administration of our Lord and Savior Barrack Obama, the Democrats tried pushing this on Gov. Deal. He explained clearly that while the Federal Govt would cover it for 3 years, Georgia would have to cover it moving forward. Under the State Constitution, (yes, Georgia has a constitution) We cannot run a deficit. Taxes would HAVE to be raised to cover the expansion of Medicaid in Georgia. “Leader Abrams” knows this.
If it takes raising taxes to fund a Medicaid expansion, I am sure there are many who would do that. If you have had to go to the ER lately during the hours that doctors offices would be open they are still packed. That is because people do not have insurance coverage!!!!!!. The figures show that it would SAVE GA money if Medicaid was expanded, because who do you think pays for all the ER visits for people who are uninsured. If everyone had Medicaid that needed it, people would not have to sit in the ER’s for hours. Everyone would rather see their own doctor than go to the ER. Unemployment rate is at it’s lowest in a long time!! This shows MORE people ARE working. Why do people assume that someone without health insurance is a deadbeat?
“If it takes raising taxes to fund a Medicaid expansion, I am sure there are many who would do that.” YEP, they’re called Democrats! BAM!