A misunderstanding, chapter 1
Published May 7, 2015
by Carter Wrenn, Talking About Politics, May 6, 2015.
The Governor’s biggest challenge, a Republican consultant explained to the newspaper, is coming up with a way to overhaul Medicaid and stopping its persistent cost overruns – if the Governor can do that, the consultant said, it “practically will insure his reelection.”
Which sounds fine – except for a misunderstanding.
Six years ago, back in 2009, according to the Fiscal Research Division of the State Legislature, state Medicaid spent $3.7 billion. Last year, according to the same folks, the state spent $3.4 billion. This year, according to the Governor, the State will spend $3.5 billion.
When you look at those numbers of what was actually spent (instead of what was and wasn’t appropriated) according to the legislature’s own budget experts there was no spending increase.
It was all just a political misunderstanding.
And the story doesn’t end there.
Next year, the Governor projects, Medicaid spending will increase $263 million.
Why?
Because the number of people enrolled in Medicaid has gone up. 140,000 new people have been added to the rolls.
And what can the Governor do about that?
Not one thing.
Only the legislature – and the legislature alone – can cut enrollment.
May 9, 2015 at 7:22 pm
Norm Kelly says:
According to our friends on the left, the goal IS to increase enrollment. The left's goal is to dramatically and permanently increase the rolls of people receiving 'subsidies' for their health care coverage.
If enrollment is going up, which means a spending increase after apparently several years of declining spending, then doesn't it follow that the left is getting their wish? If the rolls are increasing/growing, then is the constant, never-ending whine from the left bogus? Like most of the whines that come from the left! Is anyone, anyone at all, surprised that the left is whining anyway? Spending on medicaid will go up. Will the left now whine that the state can't afford the extra expense? Or will the left whine that the expansion/growth in enrollment wasn't enough?
Either way, the whining is not about to slow or decrease in volume or consistency. There are few things in life that are guaranteed. Left-wing whiners is one of those guarantees.
