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1
Health Care/A Hidden Cost
th e c la s s o f th o s e w h o c a n b e
A fte r fiv e y e a rs , th e in te rim fe d e ra l
s e rv e d u n d e r M e d ic a id . A g a in , a
fu n d s w o u ld b e e lim in a te d in fa v o r
lives, th e n th e c o s t o f tre a tin g th e m
rises. S in c e th e y c a n ’t pay, T H E
D re m iu m c h a r g e is a d d e d w h ic h
th e e m p lo y e r p a y s o r s h a re s w ith
o f th e p r o g r a m s im p le m e n te d b y
B IL L F O R P R O V ID IN G A C U T E
th e state.
th e e m p lo y e e . B u s in e s s e s w ith 2 5
C A R E IS P A S S E D O N A S A N
“ IN V IS IB L E ” E X P E N S E T O
o r fe w e r e m p lo y e e s s h o u ld b e
MSB
T H O S E O F U S W H O A R E IN
ta rg e te d fo r th is a p p ro a c h .
3. R E Q U IR E A L L STATES T O
Today, th e c o s t o f h e a lth c a re
E X T E N D M E D IC A ID C O V E R A G E
fru s tra te s all o f us. W e w o n d e r w h y
TO PARENTS O F D E P E N D E N T
a ro o m in a h o s p ita l is p ric e d
C H IL D R E N IN F A M IL IE S W IT H
h ig h e r th a n a ro o m in a h o te l suite,
IN C O M E S B E L O W T H E F E D E R A L
w h y a jo u rn e y b y a m b u la n c e is
PO VE R TY LE VEL.
m o re th a n o n e in a lim o u s in e . T h e
T h e p o p u la tio n m o s t lik e ly to
b e n e fit fro m th is a p p ro a c h is th e
tw o -p a re n t fam ily, w h ic h p ro v id e s
a n o th e r o p tio n fo r a d d re s s in g th e
n e e d s o f th e w o rk in g poor. U n d e r
th is s c e n a rio , sta te s c h o o s in g to
e x te n d M e d ic a id c o v e r a g e to
e lig ib le tw o -p a re n t fa m ilie s w o u ld
re c e iv e in c re a s e d fe d e ra l m a tc h in g
fu n d s fo r th e first fiv e y e a rs o f th e
Today, the cost of health care
(frustrates all of os. We
wonder why a room in a
hospital is priced higher than
a room in a hotel suite.
p ro g ra m . In e x c h a n g e , th e s e sta te s
in v is ib le c o s t o f p r o v id in g h e a lth
w o u ld a n a ly z e th e n u m b e r o f p e o
p le p a rtic ip a tin g a n d w o u ld d e
c a re to th e u n in s u re d is o n e re a
so n . W h y ? B e c a u s e w h e n p e o p le
v e lo p w a y s to e x te n d c o v e r a g e to
th e s e n e w M e d ic a id re c ip ie n ts .
d e fe r c a re until th e ir illn e sse s a re s o
S U R E D . B e c a u s e th e s e fe e s a re
h id d e n , w e a re u n a b le to g iv e
e ith e r o u r a d v ic e o r c o n s e n t. W e
s im p ly p a y th ro u g h h ig h e r in s u r
a n c e p re m iu m s . B u t th e re is s o m e
th in g w e c a n d o ! T h e first s te p is to
m a k e o u r e le c te d o ffic ia ls a t th e
s ta te a n d n a tio n a l le ve l a w a re o f
o u r c o n c e rn . S o lu tio n s a re p o s s i
ble. W E N E E D T H E L E G IS L A T IV E
W IL L !
THE FOLLOWING
CONTRIBUTED TECHNICAL
ADVICE IN PREPARATION
OF THE MANUSCRIPT:
• ROB DELPH
• TOM HIGGINS
• JEFF LEWIS
• BOB O’BRIEN
b a d th e y c a n n o t g o o n w ith th e ir
ó' ; & :* / v •••i