Since the Affordable Care Act (ACA), commonly known “Obamacare” went into effect, advocates of the government program have claimed that the high cost to run it would level out over time. That hasn’t happened.
In 2021, the Heritage Foundation reported that Obamacare more than doubled health insurance costs for workers and families, with the national average premium increasing by 129 percent from 2013 to 2019. The Congressional Budget Office said federal subsidies for those under age 65 cost around $1 trillion. They now predict it will reach $1.6 trillion by 2032.
But the large cost for taxpayers to subsidize the government program hasn’t stopped liberal groups from wanting to implement the “Medicaid expansion” of Obamacare in Florida.
Under Obamacare, the federal government paid 100 percent of the cost of expansion coverage from 2014 to 2016, with the federal share then dropping gradually to 90% percent for 2020 and each year thereafter, leaving states to cover the remaining share. But that remaining share continues to drop from the federal government leaving it to the states to pick up to tab.
A new analysis by data and analytics director Hayden Dublois and Michael Greibrok with the Florida-based Foundation for Government Accountability says if states like Florida follow others and accept Medicaid expansion, it will increase the state’s budget where other programs may have to be cut.
Dublois says Medicaid expansion is crushing hospitals and forcing some to close.
“Hospitals in expansion states reported over billions in losses due to Medicaid are seeing shortfalls ballooning more than 115%. By comparison, the shortfalls in states (like Florida) that didn’t expand Medicaid grew by only 6%, said Dublois and Greibrok.
Dublois and Greibrok research finds massive red ink is written into Medicaid’s flawed design. Their analysis show that hospitals are only reimbursed about 78% of what Medicare pays for the same treatments and procedures, and 62% of what private health insurance pays. If enacted, Medicaid Expansion will push more people off private insurance and onto Medicaid.
If the federal government shifts the burden of Medicaid Expansion, hospitals must cover the shortfalls by seeking solutions from Tallahassee lawmakers, I.E., more money.
Proponents of Medicaid Expansion will brag about how consumers will lay less and can take advantage of lower healthcare costs. But what they don’t tell you is that forcing patients to go on the government program will drive up health insurance costs, especially if the state government gets involved, which could include more regulations passing those costs on to consumers and taxpayers.
Analysts say the goal is to have more people on private health insurance than government health insurance. Not to mention, patients would get better care with private health insurance than Medicaid, where patients would see longer wait times, worsening health outcomes.
How to save money without Medicaid Expansion?
Medicaid has been described as an insurer for temporary use but lately has been used as welfare. Dublois and Greibrok point out that nearly 20 million people received Medicaid through expansion nationwide. All of them are able-bodied adults.
“ObamaCare (Medicaid Expansion) has introduced a failed policy. Holdout states like Florida have been vindicated, and they shouldn’t give in. Florida has refused to sign up, and they should keep resisting the pressure,’ says Dublois and Greibrok.
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