To the Editor:
The recent editorial (Jan. 23, 2014) on Medicaid coverage in Virginia appears to be riddled with “phantom facts.” The editorial writer gives the impression that Medicaid is vanishing for 400,000 Virginians. Not so. As we all should know Medicaid is a joint effort between the Federal Government and each state. Those who were eligible for Medicaid in Virginia before Obamacare are still eligible. There is a category known as the “newly eligible” that the editorial has avoided mentioning and is the subject of political debate. Should Virginia acknowledge these “newly eligible,” the state would pay a portion of additional expense as would the Federal Government. The Feds would guarantee an extra 10 percent for a 3-year period.
Most of us are aware of the present problems with Medicaid; poor payment schedule, few sign-up physicians, a general apathy for care except for emergency situations, etc.
About 15 years ago the state of Oregon came up with something similar to what Obamacare proposes for Medicaid in Virginia. It was known as the “Oregon Plan.” Oregon doubled the number of eligible Medicaid recipients by increasing the income level needed to make them eligible. Soon, they realized the state could not afford to sustain this new level of spending. So, they cut the legs off of their spending pattern by eliminating coverage for the lowest cost procedures and the highest cost procedures. Is that what we want in Virginia?
Harvey Wenick, Alexandria