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| The growing Pain of Poverty |
POVERTY AND HEALTHCARE WITH MEDICAID = ESSENTIAL
I am sharing the result of some of my recent research completed regarding poverty and medical coverage. As you likely know, the ACA (formerly known as Obamacare) covered some 25-30 million Americans not covered by medical insurance... With some basic coverage. In addition to providing for some modest and basic coverage, this plan saved many public hospitals running red ink across the nation. The cause of the red ink was not solely lack of coverage, but of large numbers of families in poverty without coverage and a hospital and healthcare requirement to accept those in need of treatment - insurance or not. As the number in poverty grew, the red ink increased... and public hospitals ran in deficit. Some states opened their budgets to a "help hospitals" line to make up for the red ink, others not. NJ and NY did so, while others in Republican hands did not.
Those circumstances and needed access to healthcare brought on the ACA and the provision of the Affordable Care Act that invited states to expand Medicaid basic coverage without any state matching funds in 2014. Many states opted for that expansion, including California and Minnesota represented by our candidates for President and Vice President this season - Harris and Walz. Other states didn't - in spite of the fact that their hospitals were stressed, and their poverty rates were high. Today - 10 years later - 10 states have refused to expand the healthcare coverage of Medicaid for those in poverty in their home states.... And their public hospitals run red.... Here they are...
The Federal Poverty Level (FPL) varies by size of family. In 2024, the poverty stats are at $15.060 for 1; 19,720 for 2; and up from there. For example, the FPL for a family of four stands at $31,200 this year. 14 States with the highest poverty rate are these (DC makes 15):
2024 POVERTY RATES. STATES REFUSING TO EXPAND MEDICAID = SEE YELLOW HIGHLIGHT
- Mississippi 19.58%
- Louisiana 18.65%
- New Mexico 18.55%
- West Virginia 17.10%
- Kentucky 16.61%
- Arkansas 16.08%
- Alabama 15.98%
- D.C. 15.45%
- Oklahoma 15.27%
- South Carolina14.68%
- Tennessee 14.62%
- Georgia 14.28%
- Texas 14.22%
- Arizona 14.12%
- North Carolina13.98%
In addition to those highlighted (6 of 10), the others are Florida, Kansas, Wisconsin, and Wyoming - all governed by Republicans but for Wisconsin. In these states nearly 1 in 5 adults ages of 19-64 are uninsured - 1.6 million adults in the non-expansion states. The Center on Budget and policy Priorities reports that 60% of those who fall into this gap are people of color and 40% are not. Latino - 35%; Black - 24%; and Asian account for 2%. The Dem Governor of Wisconsin Tony Evers has included Medicaid expansion covering 90,000 poverty stricken residents in his biennial State Budget submission since 2019. Each year - including this one - the Republican controlled Legislature adopted the budget but amended out the Medicaid expansion provisions each time. In this case, the Red Hat Legislature stopped it.
I send this to make the point - and to equip you with the data to make the argument that MAGA controlled states care little for those in need, including the public hospital facilities. Needless to say, although waist-deep in the poverty pool, continues to resist the ACA and Project 2025 calls - again - for its repeal. One example is that the Republican Governor of Mississippi announced that he would veto any bill that expands Medicaid in spite of the fact that the Red Legislature passed two bi-partisan versions of a bill to accomplish that end but could not agree on a compromise before the session ended. In Mississippi the Red Cap Governor stopped it. PING.... and PONG....
Add this to your issues file.... All based on facts.....
STAND UP! SPEAK OUT! MARCH ON TO NOVEMBER.... AND VOTE!
Bobby J
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