Turning his back on the unborn
Posted by Tina
“The mother of all unfunded mandates,” by Paul Mirengoff – Powerline
Now that the Medicare expansion has been stripped from the Democrats’ health care legislation, we would do well to focus on the Medicaid expansion. The legislation would expand eligibility for Medicaid to those whose income equals 133 percent or less of the poverty level. According to Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour, this would add roughly 15 million people to the program. In his state, the increase could be as high as 50 percent. ** Where will the money for the expansion come from? Not from the federal government. If the feds were to foot the bill, this would explode the pretense that the legislation is “revenue neutral.” To keep up that pretense, the bill would leave the states to pay for the expansion after the first three years. Gov. Barbour estimates the size of that bill at $25 billion. Call it the mother of all unfunded mandates.
But not for so-called pro-life Democrat Ben Nelson. He was a hold-out on that issue until today when he managed to negotiate a special deal for his state of Nebraska (as did Mary Landrieu of Louisiana earlier.)
“Ben Nelson’s selling price,” Betsey’s Page
Page 98 of the managers amendment specifically identifies Nebraska for higher federal matching funds, fully funding its expansion for an additional year: ”(3) Notwithstanding subsection (b) and paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subsection, the Federal medical assistance percentage otherwise determined under subsection (b) with respect to all or any portion of a fiscal year that begins on or after January 1, 2017, for the State of Nebraska, with respect to amounts expended for newly eligible individuals described in subclause (VIII) of section 1902(a)(10)(A)(i), shall be determined as provided for under subsection (y)(1) (A) (notwithstanding the period provided for in such paragraph) * Subsection (y)(1)(A) refers to page 399 of the original merged Senate legislation which fully funds state Mediciad expansions for the first two years. The manager’s amendment also provides 2.2% increase in FMAP to help states finance their existing Medicaid programs.
This citizen thinks “special” provisions given out for votes stinks. My own state is already in deep doo doo financially. Another unfunded mandate will set fire to an already blown budget. So what will Nancy and Harry do to “states” like California when they can’t come up with the funds to cover these expanded programs…fine them? Throw them in jail?
Like they give a rats patootie what is in this bill…as Pelosi recently admitted she doesn’t care about anything except getting a bill passed. This has got to stop. They’re way beyond dysfunctional…we’re into insane now! Time to call out the white coats and have them hawled off to the looney bin….no, I meant the real looney bin.