Typical Republican plan

Gov. Pat McCrory and the Republican legislature have decided not to expand the Medicaid eligibility next year to about 500,000 people in North Carolina. This is being regarded as an attack on the poor. Actually, it’s a way for get more dollars flowing to doctors, hospitals and health insurance companies. All at taxpayer expense.

Beginning next year, all adults are required to purchase health insurance. The Republican decision means low income adults will have to purchase private health insurance through the federal health insurance exchange. Their premium will be paid by federal taxpayers.

Since Medicaid reimbursements to doctors and hospitals are typically lower than those from private health insurers, as Republican Sen. Ralph Hise said, this means more money paid to doctors, more money paid to hospitals and of course, more money for health insurance companies – all paid for by the rest of us.

It’s a typical Republican plan – the rich get richer, and the rest of us pay more.

John Pilgrim

Cary