Every day more than 1.5 million Ohioans, nearly 14 percent of our population, wake up without health insurance coverage. As a result, many of them go without treatment until their condition becomes more severe and more costly to address. Often when they do seek treatment, it is in the most expensive way possible: through emergency rooms and hospitals. The cost of caring for the uninsured falls to everyone. Those with health coverage pay more in treatment costs, and we all pay more in taxes to support local and state public health programs.
This budget cycle the Governor and legislature have an opportunity to control health care costs for the benefit of all Ohioans by expanding our Medicaid program, as provided for in the federal Affordable Care Act (ACA). To do so is consistent with Gov. Kasich’s efforts over the last two years to transform Medicaid in Ohio – reducing costs and improving the program’s efficiency.
As Christian leaders, we hear the call of Jesus to reach out to the poor and those on the margins of society. We believe that Medicaid Expansion will help stabilize health care to the poor and marginalized among us. We are leaders of a faith community that believes all are equal in the sight of God.
[blockquote]Every day more than 1.5 million Ohioans, nearly 14 percent of our population, wake up without health insurance coverage.[/blockquote]
And yet they never tell us how many of those people can afford health insurance but can’t be bothered because they’d rather have their new iPads…
I don’t know about Ohio, but in my part of the world, we have excellent public medical services. We have a good hospital and a network of community clinics, plus a full complement of specialties. Frankly, the poor get health care as good or better than my insurance provides me. You know, i’m glad for them. That’s one tax i’m glad”happy to pay. But can’t we get honest about the difference between health insurance and health care?
2. Charles, you make an excellent point. Health insurance in an ideal world would be for catastrophic circumstances only. Everything else would be out of pocket. Insurance companies, Medicare/Medicaid, and health care professionals would all have the means to bilk each other at the expense of the average person cut off and the average person would get what he pays for (or not for the person who blows off the expense). And Medicaid would truly be for the poor.