On Tuesday June 23, the Deseret News ran an article co-written by Utah legislator Mike Kennedy, entitled What Medicaid Expansion Isn't. Kennedy is one of the members of the Utah Health Reform Task Force who is firmly opposed to expansion on ideological grounds, so the fact that he wrote an article decrying it was no surprise. The fact that the article is so sloppily one-sided actually did surprise me. So, by way of rebuttal, I present a list of a few things expansion/Healthy Utah is.
A PLAN WHICH WILL SAVE LIVES
Kennedy's article claims there is "no evidence" that that the program will save lives. What about the testimony of Doctors like Ray Ward and Brian Shiozawa who run into patients every day who could have their lives saved by Medicaid expansion? What about the Utahns in the coverage gap who tell their stories in Entitled To Life (though, as Kennedy still hasn't responded to my emails, maybe he hasn't seen it. I know he didn't attend the Town Meeting in February where they spoke). Or, for more authoratative evidence, What about the 2014 Harvard Medical Study which states the in Utah alone, 316 people will die per year without expansion? Anybody out there heard of Harvard? I'd call that more compelling than the vague evidence Kennedy sites from the Foundation For Government Accountability (an organization with which I was not familiar. A quick search of their website and the preponderence of terms like "tax and spend" left me me with the impression of the group having a pronounced right wing agenda), which repeats the same old anti-"Obamacare" arguments of increased access by the currently uninsured getting in the way of the currently insured, a problem which has yet to show signs of materializing anywhere since the ACA was implemented.Incidentally, the article goes to great pains to use the word "Obamacare" as often as possible instead of referencing Utah Governor Gary Herbert's Healthy Utah plan, trying to create association with something which is unpopular in Utah rather than something Utahns overwhelmingly support.
A UTAH SPECIFIC PLAN
Kennedy's article claims that "no Obamacare expansion" allows the state to make its own decisions and rules, but that's what Governor Herbert's team has begun negotioating for months. Plain and simple, if Healthy Utah passes, it will be a compromise between state and federal governments based on specific Utah requirements such as purchasing people private insurance. That's why they keep calling it "A Utah solution".
MADE UP MOSTLY OF TAXES UTAH IS PAYING ANYWAY
Nowhere does Kennedy's article address the fact that turning Utah turning down the federal funding does precicely nothing for deficit reduction, as the money will only go to other states (as its doing now) if we don't take it, but we'll keep paying those taxes under the ACA. So we can get help for Utahns or not, but it's absurd to act is if it makes a difference to the deficit.
NECESSARY TO PAY FOR SALT LAKE COUNTY MENTAL HEALTH/SUBSTANCE ABUSE SERVICES
According to Mayor Ben McAdams and the Salt Lake County Council, starting in January 3,200 people in Salt Lake County will be without these services if Healthy Utah is not adpoted.
OVERWHELMINGLY FAVORED BY UTAHNS
A recent Dan Jones and Associates poll shows that 88% of Utahns favor Healthy Utah over doing nothing, which seems to be Kennedy's plan as he offers no alternative.
We've had plenty of time to study, and the fiscally and morally repsonsible thing to do is accept federal funding and expand access to health coverage through the Healthy Utah plan.
A UTAH SPECIFIC PLAN
Kennedy's article claims that "no Obamacare expansion" allows the state to make its own decisions and rules, but that's what Governor Herbert's team has begun negotioating for months. Plain and simple, if Healthy Utah passes, it will be a compromise between state and federal governments based on specific Utah requirements such as purchasing people private insurance. That's why they keep calling it "A Utah solution".
MADE UP MOSTLY OF TAXES UTAH IS PAYING ANYWAY
Nowhere does Kennedy's article address the fact that turning Utah turning down the federal funding does precicely nothing for deficit reduction, as the money will only go to other states (as its doing now) if we don't take it, but we'll keep paying those taxes under the ACA. So we can get help for Utahns or not, but it's absurd to act is if it makes a difference to the deficit.
NECESSARY TO PAY FOR SALT LAKE COUNTY MENTAL HEALTH/SUBSTANCE ABUSE SERVICES
According to Mayor Ben McAdams and the Salt Lake County Council, starting in January 3,200 people in Salt Lake County will be without these services if Healthy Utah is not adpoted.
OVERWHELMINGLY FAVORED BY UTAHNS
A recent Dan Jones and Associates poll shows that 88% of Utahns favor Healthy Utah over doing nothing, which seems to be Kennedy's plan as he offers no alternative.
We've had plenty of time to study, and the fiscally and morally repsonsible thing to do is accept federal funding and expand access to health coverage through the Healthy Utah plan.
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