—
Our governor announced that he will not expand Medicaid to cover the 2 million Texans who are so poor they qualify for Medicaid under the new Affordable Healthcare Law. He also said he will not form a private insurance exchange that would provide health insurance for an additional 4 million Texans who make too much money to qualify for Medicaid, but cannot afford or have no access to private insurance. His failure to expand Medicaid is totally without financial sanity.
This act is plain stupid, considering the federal government will pay 100 percent of the Medicaid expansion for the first three years and 90 percent of the cost for the next seven years. That means Texas will pay about $10 billion and the federal government will pay about $112 billion to Texas over the next 10 years.
I know exactly who these uninsured people are. I spent over 20 years as a health insurance agent who failed to provide affordable health insurance for the 6 million people who qualify for these new programs. Contrary to popular belief, they are not shiftless bums living on welfare. They are working families who are self-employed or work for small companies which cannot possibly afford employee group health insurance. Some workers do have group insurance on themselves, but since few small employers contribute to family coverage, they cannot afford to cover their families.
Many older Texans have no idea what family medical insurance costs now. Just a minimal policy could take between one-fourth to one-half of millions of workers monthly take home pay. And if any family member has a serious pre-existing condition that cost could double, if they can find an insurer who will accept them.
The governor’s refusal to form a state private health insurance exchange may be a blessing in disguise for Texas’ 4 million working families. Under the new health insurance law, if a state fails to form and administer one, the federal government will create and administer an exchange. Considering Texas’ incredible mismanagement of current public health programs, I would be overjoyed to see the federal government administer all medical care provided by taxpayers.
We recently had an example of how Texas administers the present Medicaid dental orthodontics program for poor children. It was revealed that Texas had spent as much on children’s orthodontics in a year as all the other 49 states combined. We taxpayers have made millionaires of dentists who provided unnecessary, shoddy dental work. This is what happens when unqualified, negligent or dishonest people administer public money. Although the federal government pays for most of Medicaid, it is administered by the states.
Also, the governor and legislature lied to voters when they said they balanced the state budget in the last session. To conceal this lie, they just underfunded the states present share of Medicaid by pushing $5 billion of presently required funding to the next two year state budget. This would be fine, except they did not even suggest where the next legislature could find the $5 billion owed and an additional $5 billion for the next two years.
I am most dismayed that many Texans support his contempt for the poor. How can people who boast about this being a Christian state and nation still support the totally un-Christian acts of their elected representatives? How can the people of a rich state, with one out of four residents without access to medical care call themselves Christians? Especially, when we will only have to pay less than 10 cents on the dollar to provide almost universal medical care.
Don’t forget these federal dollars are collected from us Texans, too, and will go to some other state if we don’t do the right thing. Those federal dollars would also go back into our state economy through doctors, nurses, technicians, hospitals, clinics, labs and drug sales. What state could turn down a 900 percent return on money invested in its own residents, while helping to balance the state budget?
Dennis Tilly is a Weatherford resident.
Viewpoints
COLUMN: Medicaid tactic needs revision in state
- Viewpoints
-
-
CNHI EDITORIAL: Seizure of AP phone records an insult to independent press
Distrust of government secrecy has been elevated to an exceptional level with the disclosure the Justice Department covertly examined two months of Associated Press phone records to determine who leaked details to the AP about a foiled terrorist plot.
-
NOW HEAR THIS: ‘What we’ve got here is a failure to communicate’
This famous quote addressing communication failure is a classic line from the 1967 movie “Cool Hand Luke,” starring Paul Newman. Strother Martin, who played the role of the warden in a southern prison, would use this phrase every time he gave Luke a good whack with his baton. The concept resonated so well with moviegoers that it was voted No. 11 of the 100 all-time favorite movie quotes according to the American Film Institute.
-
Letters to the Editor – May 19, 2013
Do you remember the “MISSION ACCOMPLISHED” sign that the personnel on the USS Abraham Lincoln displayed to greet President Bush when he went out to greet them?
-
Guest opinion: Campaign with honor
All politics is local and personal! I hope that you and your family have a wonderful summer, filled with relationship building experiences and times of relaxation. As you do all the things that re-charge us for the next round at work and involvement in community and political activities, let’s reflect on the 2013 local elections for a moment.
-
TISCIONE: Woe for calling evil good
You don’t often see “woe” used in an article. It’s a word that has fallen out of usage in our day. But it’s a word that ought to be understood and taken seriously.
-
Letters to the Editor – May 17, 2013
As mercury pollution threatens our waterways and carbon pollution-fueled climate change worsens extreme weather, we need someone in Washington who knows how to get things done.
-
Letters to the Editor – May 15, 2013
I just wanted to express my heartfelt thanks to the slobs, idiots and inconsiderate people who continually decorate the beautiful Texas landscape with their trash. I guess it’s really a form of art with beer bottles and cans, boxes, plastic drink containers, food packaging and just about anything else you can think of. It just doesn’t appeal to me. Thank you.
-
NOW HEAR THIS: Not by the hairs of my chinny chin chin
I had never really considered this possibility, but every one of the Three Little Pigs was almost certainly a guy. I know that assumption is not particularly popular from an equal opportunity standpoint, but the fact is fairly certain. How do I know? They all three had hair on their chinny chin chins.
-
ESTES: Securing a bright future for Texas
Texas businesses have created more than 500,000 jobs since November 2011. Our economy is growing nearly 50 percent faster than the rest of the country and our cost of living remains low.
-
TISCIONE: ‘It’s not about me’
“It is good to give thanks to the LORD, to sing praises to your name, O Most High; to declare your steadfast love in the morning and your faithfulness by night.”
- More Viewpoints Headlines
-
CNHI EDITORIAL: Seizure of AP phone records an insult to independent press
Looking for Love? Take the Prague Metro
Crews Race to Find Survivors of Okla. Twister
First Person: Baby Falcons on a New York Bridge
Oklahoma: Images of Devastation, Reunion
Reunited Dad, Son: 'We Just Praise God'
Slow Pokes: Acupuncture Helps Sick Turtles
Moore, Okla. City of Reunions, Tears After Storm
Former IRS Chief: Can't Say How List Happened
Gov. Fallin: Okla. Facing Horrific Disaster
Tim Cook Defends Apple's Tax Accounting
AP Photograher: 'It Was a Miracle' They Got Out
Raw: Crews Search for Survivors of Okla. Tornado
Raw: Tearful Reunion After Okla. Tornado
OKC Hospital Describes Treating Tornado Wounded
Obama Pledges Urgent Aid for Tornado Victims
Raw: Massive Funnel Clouds in Oklahoma
