Health & Fitness
Democracy in Action
Assewmblywoman Melendez' monthly Community Breakfast includes discussion of Obamacare's impact on health care for low income Californians.
On Friday morning, about thirty-five people experienced democracy in action as
we enjoyed Rep. Melissa Melendez’ (67th Assembly District) monthly Community Breakfast held this month at Animal Friends of the Valleys in Wildomar. Rep.
Melendez took the opportunity to share with her constituents the current
legislative action in the Sacramento and to hear our concerns. In what was sometimes a spirited exchange of conflicting ideas, attendees were able to interact with the Assemblywoman.
One of the concerns touched on was the nay vote by Ms. Melendez on ABX 1-1, a bill that expands the eligibility for the Medi-Cal Program and streamlines the process. The bill passed the House with a vote of 54-22. Medi-Cal is a public health insurance program that provides needed health care services to people with low incomes and to the disabled. Among its provisions, the bill would raise the poverty level for eligibility in 2014 to implement provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). Income eligibility would be determined based on modified adjusted gross income (MAGI). For example, for single people it would increase from the current $10,212 to $15,415.
Assemblywoman Melendez justified her vote on the grounds that it was a funding problem. However, it was pointed out that, for the first 3 years, the federal government would completely subsidize the increased cost. States would have to fund only the setup and some administrative costs. There was disagreement about the cost after the first three years. According to research (1), only 10% of the costs would be covered by the states.
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We have to look at the big picture to see that California’s participation in Obamacare will allow the state to expand health care coverage to our lowest income Californians. What opponents are ignoring is the cost savings in covering the poor. The cost of uncompensated care, of emergency room care is what is driving up health care costs dramatically. The burden of these increased costs is falling on the middle class in the form of increased health insurance premiums and out-of-pocket co-insurance payments. In addition, caring for the currently
uninsured will also bring billions of dollars into the state, strengthening the
health care industry and our economy.
Morally it is the right thing to do. Financially it is the prudent thing to do.
