Expanding Medicaid Piecemeal

One of the most conspicuous and egregious characteristics of slavery is dependency. Senate Bill 287 was introduced the week of Jan. 19, proposing to expand Medicaid incrementally. It has been the contention of some of my Senate colleagues and myself that there are market-driven health care solutions far superior to any proposed solution that expands government’s size and power. Price transparency for providers, the sale of insurance across state borders, reduction of government mandates and barriers to entry, and even special initiatives like Project ECHO hold promise for improving health care solutions and reducing costs without expanding government.

As you would expect, introducing market-driven solutions will change the balance of power within any industry, and changes in the balance of power draw opposition from those whose power is threatened or reduced. It doesn’t matter whether the power is over the consumer or over the market, those who have it will fight to keep it. Usually, those who are already empowered benefit the most from more government intervention. The taxpayers and consumers almost always lose, even though improving their lot is trumpeted to promote whatever the new program or expansion may be.

In my opinion, SB 287 seeks to expand Medicaid by reducing veterans to a “special interest group.” It separates out veterans – whether alive or not - from the general population and exempts them and their families from existing Medicaid eligibility requirements. The way I see it, the Constitutional values for which they fought is compromised by such a carve-out. Looking at those who are promoting SB 287 would suggest that the greater agenda may not be to honor the veterans as much as to exploit the honor we hold for them in order to begin the unpopular expansion of Medicaid in accordance with the Obamacare mandates. Someone once said: “It is not as important where we are as where we are headed.” I think I do not like either where SB 287 is, or where it is headed.