Wednesday Medicaid Expansion Vote: Stand Against It Texas

By Keith Self & Matt Shaheen Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN Texas Texas should STAND FIRM NOW TODAY against State Medicaid expansion. Regrettably this is not only a Democrat issue or initiative. Many State House Republican officials are pushing for this expansion because they want even more federal dollars. We can do better in Texas.   A government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life well ever see on this earth!" Ronald Reagan once said. A government bureau being the nearest thing to eternal life used to be true simply because every government program has a constituency and politicians find it hard to cut funding to ANY program regardless of success or failure. Its different this time. Obamacare is different. It actually puts into law the eternal nature of Medicaid expansion. States who choose to accept federal strings for federal expansion dollars will not be able to opt out if they decide they cant afford the program once it balloons out of control.  Theres just never enough money for government bureaucracy. Whats more troubling is that these Republicans know Medicaid expansion is unpopular so they are using different words to deceive citizens such as block grants" waivers" or a Texas Solution".  Whatever you call it its an expansion of a failed government program that is a major percentage of the entitlements bankrupting our nation and would explode our Texas state budget. A recent editorial in the Wall Street Journal compared Medicaid expansion to a roach motel states can check in but they cant check out.  With the expected explosion of costs under Medicaid when sunset clauses remove federal funds from this expansion that eternal life will become a living hell for the states that opt in now. Some areas of Texas provide indigent healthcare by having churches charity organizations and the private sector collaborate with the government to show true compassion and provide care for the indigent. Governments growing healthcare role is driven by politicians who want to show their alleged compassion with your hard earned money to win votes and squeeze out those in the charitable community who have true compassion for the poor. That same WSJ editorial admitted that federal guidance" suggests that states can drop out of Medicaid expansion later. But one recent example here in Texas belies the claim.

A different Medicaid waiver (the 1115 waiver) was agreed by the Texas legislature and is now in the implementation stage at the county level.  The program started out voluntary" but now the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is making even minor decisions about actual project details allowed in the program.  Dont believe the federal guidance" on Medicaid expansion; look at our experience with the 1115 Medicaid waiver and at the actual law.

Texas will shine IF WE STAND FIRM NOW against Medicaid expansion. States that opt in will watch their costs explode with no federal funds to help soften the future blow.  Texas can find a better way. We can do better in Texas.  If we stand firm. Keith Self (left) has served as the Collin County Judge since being elected in 2006.  Matt Shaheen (right) serves as Collin County Commissioner Precinct 1. The Collin County Commissioners Court unanimously passed a resolution opposing Medicaid expansion.