WV Governor: More Medicaid Info Needed for Decision on Medicaid

Governor Earl Ray Tomblin says there are some questions he wants answered before West Virginia officials make a decision on any possible expansion for Medicaid.

On Thursday, Governor Tomblin sent those questions to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.

With the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, states have the option of adding people who earn up to 138% of the federal poverty level to those who qualify for Medicaid coverage.

Those who would qualify would include individuals who make up to $15,000 a year and families of three bringing in $26,000 total annually.

In a June ruling on the health care reform law, though, the U.S. Supreme Court said states that opt out of the expansion cannot be punished for doing so through reductions to existing Medicaid funding.

“The decision on whether to expand Medicaid for working West Virginians is significant,“ Governor Tomblin said in a statement.

“Before a final decision is made, West Virginia must have a plan for the long term sustainability of any type of Medicaid expansion.“

Even though it would provide covered care to about 120,000 additional West Virginians, Governor Tomblin says an expansion may cost the state too much in the long run.

As the law reads, the federal government will cover the increased costs that come with the expansion fully for the first three years.  The federal subsidy, though, will be reduced in subsequent years.  States will then have to fully fund for the expansion.

Supporters of the expansion argue the added costs will be more than made up through reductions, in the millions of dollars, for emergency room and hospital bills that now go unpaid.

Hospitals are behind the expansion because they see it as a way to cut their charity care costs.

Some governors have already said their states will not be part of the expansion.

Yikes! It looks like I woke up in bizarro world this morning. This is the same Early Ray that was bragging about implementing the Affordable Care Act just a few months ago. What changed Earl? Did you actually read the bill and find out what is in it?
This is precious. Thanks Early Ray for the laugh.
Your humble peasant,

To Burnt Weiney - - Earl Ray is trying to avoid making the big bungle that Senator Manchin made.

Remember how, when WV voters overwhelmingly voted for Hillary, and then Joe gave his super-delagate vote to Barrack Obama?

Well, both Joe and Earl Ray want to put as much distance between themselves and Obama now.  They know how we WV voters feel about both Obama and the Obama Tax healthcare.  Obama is “hot” and they are afraid of getting burned now.

Notice how they are NOT going to the Democratic Convention to nominate him?  Pretty laughable.

Wonder if the WV voters will get it—right—this November?

The State’s school system’s miserable performance tracks to Governor Tomblin and the Manchins. The Governor is the State’s CEO with power to end school system corruption and inefficiency all over WV. Gayle was an outspoken supporter of the State’s takeover of your schools, and Mark Manchin heads the State’s SBA that hands out money for new schools. Some say that your problems can be dealt with at election time. That is partially true, but Gilmer County citizens cannot vote in Lewis County to oust Commissioners or school board members who don’t address needs of Gilmer County’s children who will be hauled over there. What do you think will happen when a Lewis County voter or particularly a block of them register complaints to their elected Lewis County officials? I’ll tell you. Those officials will take appropriate action compared to merely rendering lip service when citizens from Gilmer County show up with valid complaints! Many thousands of us from all over WV who are interested in getting us out of 48th place are keeping close watch of the State’s inept meddling in your County. We have potential to determine the outcome of State level elections this fall and we intend to exercise that power with advantage of the social media. Keep fighting Gilmer County citizens with knowledge that you are not alone in this critical battle!!!

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