Sign the Letter: Medicaid Expansion is the right choice for LA
By: Jonathan Murdough
Updated: February 5, 2013
Dear Governor Jindal,
The organizations and individuals listed below believe that Medicaid expansion is the right choice for Louisiana and urge you to reconsider your decision to reject this unprecedented opportunity to improve public health and grow the state's economy. Medicaid expansion could provide health coverage to 400,000 Louisianans, most of whom are currently uninsured, and bring in billions of new federal dollars. It will benefit Louisiana's families, businesses, health care providers and the economy--all at little cost to the state budget.
We know that Medicaid expansion can benefit Louisiana because it has worked in the past. You recently noted that Louisiana ranks among the top states in providing coverage to children. Due to the success of the Louisiana Children's Health Insurance Program (LaCHIP) Medicaid expansion, only 5 percent of children in the state are uninsured, down from nearly 20 percent in the late 1990s. That is better than the national rate of 8 percent. Louisiana policymakers, particularly the staff at the Department of Health and Hospitals, deserve immense credit for this important achievement.
Medicaid expansion offers a chance to replicate this policy success and makes a significant investment in Louisiana's people and workforce. Nearly 20 percent of Louisianans currently lack health insurance, including 1 in 4 adults. Medicaid expansion would cut that figure in half by providing health coverage to as many as 400,000 Louisianans, mostly working parents and other adults who are currently uninsured. This includes workers in important economic sectors like tourism, construction, retail and healthcare who make too little money to afford market-rate insurance policies.
There are significant economic benefits to Medicaid expansion, which will bring an estimated $15.7 billion into the Louisiana economy over the next decade that will spur job creation, support local businesses and provide a more stable source of revenue for doctors, hospitals and other health-care providers. Expansion means a healthier and more productive workforce that can contribute to our economy and to the state's tax base.
The benefits of Medicaid expansion can be secured at modest cost to the state. For the first three years, the federal government will cover 100 percent of expansion costs, with the state contributing a small portion after that, but never more than 10 percent. That's a much better deal than the rest of the Medicaid program, where the state share is around 35 percent.
Adding urgency to this situation is the fact that cuts to the Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) funds that Louisiana currently relies on to support indigent care are likely in the near future as the Affordable Care Act takes full effect. Medicaid expansion revenue would more than offset this cut. But without expansion, Louisiana taxpayers and health care providers will continue to carry the cost of providing uncompensated care to uninsured patients.
We hope that you will take the steps necessary to expand Medicaid in Louisiana beginning on Jan. 1, 2014, and we stand ready and willing to work with you going forward to bring about improvements to health care for Louisiana's families and strengthen our economy.Sincerely,
AARP
Acadiana CARES
Advocacy Center
Belle Reve
Bienville House
Brotherhood, Incorporated
Citizens United for In-Home Support
Classic Homes & Services, Inc.
Coalition of HIV/AIDS Nonprofits and Governmental Entities
Community Volunteers Association
Connect to Protect
East Baton Rouge Democratic Parish Executive Committee
East Baton Rouge Young Democrats
East Feliciana Democratic Parish Executive Committee
Greater New Orleans American Association of University Women
Greenlight Operations
Health Law Advocates of Louisiana
Integrative Consulting, Inc
Louisiana AIDS Advocacy Network
Louisiana Alliance of Direct Support Professionals
Louisiana Budget Project
Louisiana Center for Health Equity
Louisiana Consumer Healthcare Coalition
Louisiana Latino Health Coalition for HIV/AIDS Awareness (LLHC)
Louisiana Supported Living Network
Louisiana Women's Network
Mental Health America of Louisiana
Mid South Division | American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, Inc.
National Association of Social Workers, Louisiana Chapter
National Council of Jewish Women
National MS Society
New Orleans Regional AIDS Planning Council (NORAPC)
New Orleans Society for Infectious Disease Awareness (NOSIDA)
NO/AIDS Task Force
One Voice Louisiana
Priority Health Care, Inc.
Project Lazarus
Puentes New Orleans
Southeast Louisiana Area Health Education Center (AHEC)
St. Landry Democratic Parish Executive Committee
The Philadelphia Center
Tulane T-Cell Clinic
UniteWomen.org
UNITY of Greater New Orleans
Abigail Reikow, LMSW, New Orleans
Alice Riener, New Orleans
Anthony Nelson, Baton Rouge
Bambi Polotzola, Opelousas
Brett Malone, MA, Shreveport
Dawn D. Collins, MPA, Baton Rouge
Dazmine Allen, New Orleans
Dorian-Gray Alexander, New Orleans
Dorothy Durrett
Dr. Mark Alain Dery, New Orleans
Edward B. McDonald
Edward W Cavin, New Orleans
Elizabeth Powers
Emily Sawyer Chance
Enrique Moresco, New Orleans
Eric Evans, Shreveport
Gina Brown, Metairie
Jeanne Abadie, New Orleans
Jennifer Naranjo Norman, LCSW, Marrero
Karissa Kary, New Orleans
Kay Marcel, New Iberia
Kay Zimmerman
Kimberly Powell, Bossier City
Latoya Stringer, Baton Rouge
Lois Simpson, New Orleans
Lori Laurie Foreman, Maurice
Lucy Cordts, LCSW, New Orleans
M. Craig Hankins, PhD, MBA, New Orleans
Marla Chirdon, New Orleans
Martha Kegel, New Orleans
Martin Simpson, New Orleans
Melissa Bishop, Metairie
Melissa Peterson, New Orleans
Natalie Dietz, New Orleans
Noel Twilbeck, River Ridge, LA
Peter Jenkins
R. Wayne Sizemore, New Orleans
Renee Davis
Samantha Euraque, New Orleans
Sarah Marcello, New Orleans
Stephanie Patrick, New Orleans
Sue Ducote Borderlon
Tamara B. Pierre, MSW, Marrero
Tonja "Tee" Lee, PhD, Baton Rouge
Vicki Judice, New Orleans
Vicki Weeks, New Orleans
Join the 90 groups and individuals asking Governor Jindal to expand Medicaid for Louisiana by signing the letter at lamedicaidexpansion.org
