Yesterday, after months of anticipation, Governor Corbett finally unveiled his Medicaid expansion plan. Corbett was developed his own solution, with Arkansas as a guide, which involved accepting the federal funds but using them to give beneficiaries private insurance instead of putting them in the Medicaid program.
This decision prompted criticism from both the right and left. Conservatives were angry about Corbett accepting the funds even in principle and felt costs would still be a problem while progressives were angry that these people would not be incorporated into Medicaid.
So, we ask you the readers, what do you think of Governor Corbett’s decision?
What do you think of Governor Corbett's decision?
- Too conservative (64%)
- Just right (23%)
- Too liberal (15%)
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15 Responses
Such a complicated plan (let’s call it the Jen Branstetter plan) if enacted will need a lot of public education for the working poor, the poor who want to work and the famous WELFARE QUEENS to enroll. This public policy will require a lucrative state advertising contract. Corbett Administration: Let me make you a recommendation: N-U-T-T. Yes Brian Nutt would be the perfect person to lead this advertising effort out of Brabender/Cox’s own Harrisburg office. Isn’t this plan, political necrophilia at its best.
When young people don’t vote…it makes this whole thing even worse, not to mention the psychologically defeated.
Corbett’s plan to use only private insurers seems to be another blow against ever obtaining single payer system and works well for the insurance companies at a long term cost to the taxpayers.
Here is a good article on the Corbett Obamacare surrender plan. I wonder how much the Corbett administration paid to Acting Governor Brabender and his firm in strategic consulting fees for the development of this plan? I am sure Brian Nutt had many sleepless nights master-minding this plan? Isn’t it time the Corbett Administration alerted the public to its conflicts with the Health Care industry? http://www.keystonepolitics.com/2013/09/health-providers-paying-us-more-mo
ney-will-save-you-money/
THE TRIBUNE REVIEW HAS SPOKEN: http://triblive.com/opinion/editorials/4720053-74/corbett-medicaid-plan#ax
zz2fFG2FDxQ Is this plan for THE PEOPLE OR THE JOB CREATORS? NO IT IS ALL ABOUT THE DESIRE TO COMMIT POLITICAL NECROPHILIA!!!
Rumor: Corbett is negotiating a position with Aetna to begin January 2015. One of the terms he is insisting upon is that all Aetna staff refer to him as Governor and that his office have lots of flags. A second condition is that he not be required to wear pants on casual Fridays.
I have my own poll: Who designed the Corbett Obamacare surrender plan?: 1. Beverly Mackereth 2. (Acting Governor Brabender+Brian Nutt+ Jennifer Branstetter) 3. (COS Gromis-Baker+ UPMC Governmental Affairs Director Scotty Baker) 4. It came in dream to Tom Corbett from JoePA who is a forgiving soul.
Who gets the full credit for this Obamacare surrender plan? In Brad Bumsted’s article the credit is given to Jennifer Branstetter, Corbett’s chief of policy. In a POLITICO article on the Corbett plan the credit is shifted to Beverly Mackereth. Why? As we all know Policy Director Branstetter is close friend of Brian Nutt, Acting Governor Brabender’s main clean up hitter in Harrisburg and now rumored to be extremely interested in health care policy. Beverly Mackereth, you are a good BEARD, but I’m not buying it. POLITICAL NECROPHILIA IS THE DRIVING FORCE OF THE CORBETT/BRABENDER ADMINISTRATION. In my religion, POLITICAL NECROPHILIA IS A MORTAL SIN. IN THE BRABENDER/CORBETT ADMINISTRATION IT IS WAY OF LIFE. When is the Corbett Adminstration going to be truthful with the public on all the conflicts that prevent it from developing a true health care policy FOR THE PEOPLE????
Everyone should be allowed to buy into Medicare. More people in the plan would bring down the costs and give it stronger bargaining against the ripoff doctors, pharmaceutical companies, and profiteering hospital chains. It is already the lowest-cost form of health insurance. I wish I could buy into it now!
But Corbett’s half-baked plan to use federal money into more private insurance ripoff plans is dead on arrival. If the legislature doesn’t kill it, HHS will.
One tme I heard the big gas bag on the radio tell his audience that he pays cash for his medical bills because he can negotiate a better price. I would be bankrupt several times over by the medical bills of a child with a pre-existing condition because I could not have written checks for $300,000.00 and counting. Four years ago I spent a week in the hospital with pancreatitus; I was lucky, but it would have set me back $17,000. Stosh has the right idea and single payer is the way to go.
Ok I’am 62 took my ssi . I want and need Heath Care . What’s the plan for Corbett Care or is it still Obama Care . What PA’s PLAN ?
In seeking the $, he bought ObamaCare; thus, he allowed himself to be attracted to the shiny-object.
The poll question should not be whether the plan is “too liberal” or “too conservative”.
The question should be “is this in the best interests of the people who need this assistance?”
It’s not an ideological question, and asking about it in those terms will just give you responses from ideologues who look at everything in terms of “liberal” and “conservative”, and not at the value of the idea itself.
The actual fiscally conservative thing to do in this situation would be to expand the program that performs just as well on access to care, but costs much less – Medicaid. GAO says Medicaid and private insurance offer about the same access to care, even though Medicaid is substantially less expensive.
If people pay slightly more when they are wearing their taxpayer hats, but save even more than that, for a *net decrease* in spending, when they are wearing their health care consumer hats, they are unquestionably better off. I do not understand why this is even controversial.
If the Governor really meant what he said about not letting government tell people what they can and can’t buy, then he would allow anyone to buy into the state Medicaid insurance plan or the State Workers Insurance Fund on the federal exchange. That public plans are being taken away as an option from people shows that this is not really about markets and free choice at all, but about affirming the bizarre private sector über alles superstition that grips right wing politics.
This plan is to privatize Medicaid, not expand it!