Part 1: Landrieu: Setting Straight Gov. Jindal's False and Fictitious Medicaid Expansion Claims
By: Mary Landrieu's Communications Office
Updated: February 26, 2013
Earlier today, U.S. Senator Mary L. Landrieu, D-La., joined Ron Pollack, executive director of Families USA, and Moriba Karamoko, director of the Louisiana Consumer Healthcare Coalition (LCHC), to discuss the importance of expanding Medicaid for Louisiana's economy.
During the call, Families USA and LCHC released the results of a report showing that by 2016 the Medicaid expansion would create 15,600 jobs across all sectors of Louisiana's economy and bring $1.8 billion in increased economic activity, in 2016 alone.
Sen. Landrieu criticized Gov. Bobby Jindal for refusing to expand Medicaid in light of these clear benefits for Louisiana's people, economy and businesses.
Under pressure, the Jindal Administration made false claims in a press release and conference call with reporters against Sen. Landrieu's record and the economic benefits Louisiana would receive by expanding the state's Medicaid program to 400,000 Louisianians.
FICTION No. 1:
"Senator Landrieu voted to cut Louisiana's Medicaid program by over a billion dollars and now she's worried about Louisiana families?" [Office of the Governor press release, Feb. 26, 2013]
FACTS:
Sen. Landrieu's record of helping to fund, fix and strengthen Louisiana's Medicaid program is clear and a matter of record.
Thanks to Sen. Landrieu's efforts, Louisiana received more than $1.2 billion in Medicaid funds through a fix to the disaster FMAP formula that she championed at the request of Gov. Jindal. The total amount that Sen. Landrieu secured was $1 billion more than the state's original request. [The Advocate, July 16, 2012]
House GOP leadership insisted on using Louisiana's FY13 and FY14 disaster FMAP as a pay-for in the federal, two-year transportation bill. The provision was inserted just several days before final passage of the bill. Sen. Landrieu fought the provision and was successful at reducing the size of the cut by 50 percent. Gov. Jindal never called the House leadership to urge them to change course. [Times-Picayune, July 11, 2012]
The entire Louisiana Congressional delegation voted for the transportation bill, which included the RESTORE Act and $1.4 billion in transportation funding for Louisiana. Would the governor like to give that money back to the federal government? [The Houma Courier, July 6, 2012]
Download a timeline of Sen. Landrieu's efforts to successfully fix the flawed disaster FMAP formula.
FICTION No. 2:
"Senator Landrieu may have spent too much time in Washington, D.C. with President Obama where the economy is booming and not enough time back in Louisiana where real people are working in the American economy." [Office of the Governor press release, Feb. 26, 2013]
FACTS:
The Governor could help strengthen Louisiana's economy by expanding Medicaid to 400,000 Louisianians, many of whom are working Louisianians who today have no health insurance.
As this morning's report shows, 15,600 new jobs would be created across all sectors of Louisiana's economy by 2016 and $1.8 billion in additional economic activity would be added to Louisiana's economy in 2016. [Families USA and Louisiana Consumer Healthcare Coalition, Feb. 26, 2013]
