It passed.....

[gimmethesimplelife]

I just read online that Medicaid expansion in Arizona passed! There to me, anyway, is something to be very grateful for. I can't even being to describe how grateful I am that fewer will be falling through the wide, gaping cracks.....Rob

[Lainey]

trying again to reply - I'm getting that "virus blocked" error message on this site again.

anyway, I'm glad too. Sad to think we are actually surprised when our state lege does the right thing!

[Tussiemussies]

That is really great. I'm glad for those in your state that this will bring some relief to them.....

[Spartana]

Calif is also going to expand Medicaid (called Medi-Cal in Calif) to accomadate the ACA beginning Jan 2014. The current medicaid severely limits who can receive aid - allowing only those under 18 or over 65, those who are disabled, pregnent women, and certain immigrants and refugees. It also has income and asset restrictions - i.e. income of approx. $16K and under for a single person, no assets above $3000 except your primary residence and vehicle. So for those between 18 and 65 who don't meet those other criteria, you are ineligigble for medicaid even if you are penniless and homeless and ill. It's a "go to the emergency room or die in the streets like a dog" kind of system now.

So starting in Jan. that will be recified. Not sure what the new criteria will be but I believe that the income levels will remain the same (at poverty level of approx. $16K/year for a single person) but there will no longer be a means test for assets and it will be available to all ages. I highly support those changes except (if you remember from my "rants" on the other threads about trhe ACA) the elimination of means testing. While I don't think anyone should have to use up all their life savings and leave themselves destitute before receiving government paid-for healthcare, I do think that means testing is needed and a ceiling on a person's other assets besides a car and primary residence should be in place for people like me (low income by choice but high asset) who will qualify for medicaid. Don't know what that ceiling should be - $50K? $100K? $200K? or ???? However, as several people here have pointed out to me in the other threads, there are probably very few people who have low incomes yet several hundred thousand $$'s in the bank and have choosen not to work so it won't matter anyways.

Now my own moral issue is do I drop my insurance coverage and go on free medicaid or do I continue to pay for my own insurance - although in reality I use the VA hospital for low cost care (they biull my insurance co for any non-service connected stuff I get done there). I probably won't apply for medicaid unless forced to under the ACA mandate, but will probably drop my insurance and just use the VA exclusively.