States Express Concern Over Medicaid Expansion

Sep 29th, 2009

Kaiser Health News reports that state officials continue to worry about additional costs that would stem from a Medicaid expansion.

"Assurances from the U.S. Congress that states will not be saddled with extra costs from a nationwide health care reform plan have done little to relieve the nervousness rippling through state legislatures and governors' offices," Reuters reports.

In a letter to the Senate Finance Committee, The National Conference of State Legislatures "demanded that any type of (Medicaid) expansion be reimbursed 100 percent by the U.S. government." States are also "worried that the plan will require all Americans to have insurance. There are 6 million Americans who are currently eligible for Medicaid but are not enrolled, according to Vermont Governor Jim Douglas. They would likely sign up for Medicaid if that requirement becomes law, also stretching states' budgets." The Congressional Budget Office has said that by 2019 the health care plan would add 11 million people to Medicaid enrollment.

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