Due to my involvement with health care, I have heard many uplifting stories that show me the positive impact of having health insurance. Many of Darke County’s uninsured residents have just recently been able to enroll in the Medicaid Expansion Program allowing them to no longer delay their health care needs.
What is Medicaid Expansion? The Medicaid Expansion Program expands Medicaid eligibility to all individuals and families earning 138% of the Federal Poverty Level or what is often referred to as “the working poor”. Another way to look at this is, in 2014 an individual that worked 40 hours a week at minimum wage earned $306 weekly or $15,912 for the year. At that level they were eligible for Medicaid Expansion which allowed them to earn up to $16,105 annually. These individuals often include those who work in food service, full-service stations, local businesses, etc.
About a year ago, Governor Kasich made a wise decision and chose to extend Medicaid health insurance coverage to some of our most vulnerable Ohio residents. For the sake of those individuals and our community, Ohio needs to continue the Medicaid Expansion Program and needs the support of our policy makers. Working families in the lower earning brackets are the most likely to not have insurance due to affordability. Medicaid Expansion helps “cover the gap” between traditional Medicaid eligibility and families who are able to afford private health insurance.
You should know there are many good things that Medicaid Expansion is doing for Ohio, but I want to focus on what it does for healthcare access in our community. Medicaid Expansion covers those who are most likely to use hospital emergency services and those visits cost hospitals millions in unpaid bills. The cost of these uninsured hospital visits are often indirectly passed onto the taxpayer through higher premiums for personal insurance.
Medicaid Expansion allows those who couldn't afford healthcare to have access to primary and preventative care, behavioral health counseling and dental services. Due to the ability to access healthcare, health issues are identified earlier and patients avoid more costly procedures and treatments down the road. In other words, access to a physician as a result of Medicaid Expansion helps individuals appropriately use our healthcare system.
While there may be much left to do to improve our healthcare system, Medicaid Expansion was and is a significant step in the right direction.
Many aspects of the Affordable Care Act in Ohio are outside state officials’ control. But one key choice is in state policymakers’ hands – namely whether to continue the Medicaid Expansion program. My hope is they will continue their support.
Jean Young
Executive Director
Family Health, Inc.
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