Will Ohio Really Imitate Texas And Refuse Billions In Federal Aid?

One of the many good things The Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) does is expand Medicaid eligibility to cover many people without health insurance.  Each state must decide whether or not to participate in this expansion.  If a state opts in, this provision will take effect in 2014, with the federal government paying for 100% of the state's additional costs for the first three years, and 90% thereafter.  If a state opts out, its Medicaid eligibility is unchanged and the state receives no additional federal funding.

It's really kind of a no-brainer for most states:

• Covering more people is the ethically correct thing to do.
• Federal money to do so is already set aside, there for the taking.
• Most states' hospitals eat hundreds of millions of dollars a year in coverage for uninsured no-pay patients.  These costs are passed on to the rest of us in higher prices and premiums.  Expanded coverage would reduce these costs.
• Medicaid expansion would create more health care jobs.

Texas, of course, is not most states.  Rick "the Dick" Perry quickly and proudly refused to participate.  Well, that's Texas for ya.  But elsewhere, even batshit red state governors like Jan Brewer (AZ) and Rick Scott (FL) have recognized that this is, in fact, a good deal for their states.

So has Ohio's Gov. John Kasich.  He's for it.  Ohio would receive $13 billion in federal money, would cover an additional 275,000 people, and would achieve an estimated $400 million in health care savings. 

There's just one problem.  Our Wonder Guv is about to be shot down by his own party.  His gerrymandered state legislature is chock full of Tea Bag wingnuts who are adamant about stripping Medicaid expansion from the next Ohio budget.  Why?  The usual -- they hate Obama, they hate the federal government, they hate poor people.

Instead of $13 billion in federally funded Medicaid, they prefer the state pony up $50 million a year for mental health and addiction services.  Because you must be crazy or on drugs if you need Medicaid??????????  I just don't get it.

Thursday at noon there's a rally at the statehouse to show support for the ACA's expanded Medicaid provision and to urge Ohio lawmakers to take advantage of it.  I think I'll be there.