Dale Herman: Medicaid bill all about money

Why is it that the new bill to expand Medicaid (House Bill 662) is about money and not about people? Patrick Woodie’s April 14 Point of View “New plan for Medicaid could boost N.C.’s rural economies” described the bill as revenue neutral; he talks about jobs, economic development, vibrant economies, business investment, cost savings, economic boost and fiscal responsibility.

Nowhere does he mention that thousands of people have died premature deaths because the General Assembly refused to expand Medicaid nor does he mention that expanding Medicaid is the moral thing to do.

When a bill about health care begins with a discussion about money then people will suffer. In fact, the language of the bill states that if it costs the state anything, “then the program shall not be implemented.”

This bill should be called “Carolina Cares about Money.”

Meanwhile, House Speaker Tim Moore says that the health care issues of the working poor will somehow be solved by growing the economy. As long as the minimum wage is $7.25 per hour, there will be working poor regardless of how much the economy grows, and they still won’t have health care. It is the needs of people that we should be talking about, and if that requires more financial support from the state, so be it.

This story was originally published April 18, 2017 at 8:24 PM with the headline "Dale Herman: Medicaid bill all about money."