What do supporters of Medicaid expansion argue?
Asked by: Retta Lemke PhD | Last update: May 22, 2025Score: 4.2/5 (18 votes)
What are the arguments for Medicaid expansion?
One argument for expansion is that it will reduce the no-cost-required charity care provided by hospitals. But any savings from reduced charity care costs is eliminated by the increased Medicaid shortfall.
What does supporters of Medicaid expansion argue quizlet?
Supporters of Medicaid expansion argue that not expanding adversely affects the health of over a million Texans who lack insurance as a result of the decision not to expand Medicaid.
Why do people oppose Medicaid?
Conservatives view Medicaid as “just another welfare program,” this time hiding in health care clothes. Their view is that welfare programs, including Medicaid, have caused more harm than good by promoting dependency and using taxpayer dollars unwisely.
Why does Medicaid need to be expanded?
Medicaid expansion is associated with improvements in overall self-reported health among adults with low incomes. Among people with chronic disease, it is associated with improved access to care, better health outcomes and disease management, and decreased mortality.
Viewpoint: The arguments for and against Medicaid expansion
What does it mean to not expand Medicaid?
If your state hasn't expanded Medicaid, your income is below the federal poverty level, and you don't qualify for Medicaid under your state's current rules, you won't qualify for either health insurance savings program: Medicaid coverage or savings on a private health plan bought through the Marketplace.
Why is Medicaid spending increasing?
Almost half of states noted upward pressure from enrollment increases due to eligibility expansions, overall state or Medicaid eligible population growth, or more generally, post-unwinding enrollment remaining above projected levels.
What is the main problem with Medicaid?
But it has been difficult to launch and sustain managed care under Medicaid: Program design has been complicated and time-consuming, and administrative costs are higher, at least in the initial stages (Freund et. al., 1989; Spitz and Abramson, 1987). The Federal waiver process has been cumbersome for many States.
Does Medicaid expansion increase taxes?
Second, it allows states to cut spending outside of Medicaid — particularly on state-funded health services for the uninsured. Finally, expansion may increase state revenues due to taxes related to Medicaid expansion or taxes on the increased economic activity it triggers.
Why doctors don t like Medicaid?
One reason is that reimbursement rates for Medicaid are lower than for Medicare or commercial insurance. Another (often overlooked) factor, however, is physician's risk of payment denials and the administrative hassle they face trying to get reimbursed by Medicaid.
What was the original purpose of the Medicaid expansion?
Expansion of Medicaid was a key component of the legislation, as it was expected to provide coverage to low-income individuals, a population at greater risk for disparities in access to the health care system and in health outcomes.
Why is the expansion of Medicare and Medicaid important?
Evidence suggests that Medicare and Medicaid successfully enhanced access to medical care for low-income and elderly Americans (Davis and Schoen, 1978).
Why did the Supreme Court reverse its support of the Medicaid expansion?
Sebelius, the Supreme Court, among other things, decided that the enforcement mechanism for the ACA Medicaid expansion, withdrawal of all Medicaid funds, was a violation of the Tenth Amendment.
How does Medicaid expansion affect the economy?
Prior research found that Medicaid expansion has improved the financial performance of hospitals and other providers, though these effects may vary somewhat by hospital type. Studies show that expansion contributed to increased hospital revenue overall and from specific services.
What states are opposed to Medicaid expansion?
The Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, was enacted in 2010, but 10 states have not expanded Medicaid, the federal-state program that provides health care for low-income people. They are Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
How does Medicaid expansion differ from Medicaid?
Under the expansion guidelines, Medicaid eligibility is extended to adults under age 65 with incomes up to 138% of the federal poverty level/FPL (133% plus a 5% income disregard). Pre-ACA, Medicaid was generally never available to non-disabled adults under age 65 unless they had minor children.
What is the argument against Medicaid expansion?
Furthermore, some of its critics maintain that Medicaid's quality of care and financing are so bad that, as stated by Brian Blase at the Heritage Foundation, Medicaid expansion under the ACA will “likely hurt overall population health.”
Who benefits the most from Medicaid expansion?
Expanding Medicaid helps low-income families' health and financial well-being, especially those in which someone has lost a job. In states that expanded Medicaid under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), unemployed workers experienced large gains in coverage.
What paid for the Medicaid expansion?
Of the $728 billion in total Medicaid spending in FFY 2021, states paid 31% and the federal government paid 69%. The share of costs paid by the federal government was higher in that year than it has been historically due to enhanced federal funding tied to the COVID-19 pandemic.
What is a disadvantage of Medicaid?
One of the most serious problems with understanding the Medicaid program is that it is not a single program, but rather an umbrella program that has several components serving vastly different populations that have in common the sole misfortune of having insufficient income to meet their health care needs.
Why don't people like Medicaid?
Republicans also generally don't like Medicaid. They see it as program that primarily serves Democratic voters (there are about 20 million Republicans on Medicaid), and as a form of welfare with little difference from cash assistance, and not as health coverage.
How can Medicaid be improved?
To expand access to care, the AMA works with state advocates to fully fund the Medicaid program and increase physician participation with policies to streamline enrollment, ensure fair audit procedures and improve managed care programs.
Who does Medicaid spend the most on?
51 percent of Medicaid's funds were spent on seniors and people with disabilities in 2021, the most recent year for which data are available.
Why is Medicaid enrollment declining?
National Medicaid enrollment is expected to decline by 4.4% in fiscal year 2025, due partially to states “unwinding” coverage after the period of continuous enrollment implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to an analysis by KFF.
Why is Medicaid so expensive?
The analysis confirms that enrollment, Federal and State Medicaid policy, and the prevalence of AIDS are among the factors significantly related to Medicaid expenditures.