Our View

Our View

Liberal legislators turned off by governor’s Medicaid plan

As promised, Gov. Asa Hutchinson is reaching out to fellow Arkansans to reassure them he fully supports continuing Medicaid expansion and has made it vividly clear ending it at this point would create “turmoil” in the health care marketplace, leave “a huge hole” in the state budget and create a fairness issue.

So then, it is peculiar to hear a few lawmakers are giving us the impression that somehow Arkansas’ version of subsidized health care for the 250,000plus “poor” Arkansans, which is on the agenda for the upcoming special session, may be scraped.

That could be no further from being accurate, and as a matter of fact, Hutchinson has made it clear that even if the state’s Private Option ended, federal subsidies for health insurance would remain available to people earning 100 percent of the federal poverty level but would cease to be available to people earning below that level.

We believe the real bone of contention in this matter among some of the more liberal lawmakers is the Republican governor’s plan calling for: – Mandatory referral to work or work training for unemployed, able-bodied recipients.

– Premiums of just a meager $19 per month and 2 percent co-pays for recipients earning more than 100 percent of the federal poverty level.

– A requirement that recipients enroll in employerbased insurance, where available, with premium assistance provide.

– Coverage that would be effective upon enrollment instead of being retroactive for the 90 days preceding enrollment, as it is now.

– An option for the state to end the program with 30 days’ notice.

The rub is that these lawmakers depend upon the vote of many so-called “poverty-level constituents” and don’t want to be associated with the governor’s plan that calls for being accountable and responsible when given free or subsidized government handouts. After all, to say they support able bodied recipients to work or pay a small premium very well could jeopardize re-election.

For example, one audience member at the governor’s recent town hall meeting stood up and said many recipients of this free or subsidized health care may not have cars and may not be able to get to the training, especially if they live in a town with no bus system.

Well, to that argument we bring up the fact that these individuals have no problem going to get their groceries with their subsidized EBT cards, or to get their free or subsidized health care, or go to their social services office, or get to their favorite restaurant, or just about anywhere else they want to go.

That is a feeble argument when there is no legitimate excuse for any able-bodied individual to be more responsible for their own welfare.

This argument that the governor’s plan is “putting up all kinds of roadblocks for them to continue to get health dare because we think they’re lazy,” is absolutely a ridiculous assumption and should not be supported or defended by even the most liberal politician.

Hutchinson will formally present his cost-saving health care reform plan to all lawmakers during a special session starting April 6 and we certainly feel the majority of legislators will support it for the good of all Arkansas taxpayers.