EDITORIAL: Sen. Gardner, make kids Medicare’s priority
Gardner serves on a 13-member panel of
Political opponents debate the wisdom of the Affordable Care Act's massive expansion of Medicaid and the desire of
Either way, civilized societies have a responsibility to ensure health care for kids.
Expansion to previously unqualified adults has taken a toll on
Conversely,
If anyone deserves the protection of government health insurance, it is our kids.
Unlike adults, children do not have the ability to seek employment that provides insurance as a portion of compensation.
Children cannot choose a private insurance plan over a car, a bigger house, cable TV or other discretionary expenses.
Children cannot log onto a state exchange and buy a subsidized plan.
Children don't choose their parents or guardians.
If children get overlooked in health care discussions, it's because they don't vote or show up at town hall meetings to scream at politicians.
Whatever Gardner and his 12 colleagues devise for the
A large, bipartisan group of
- Grow Medicaid's base-year spending on children by an amount equal to the medical category of the Consumer Price Index, plus 1 percent
- Exclude disabled and "medically complex" children from Medicaid caps
- Ensure Medicaid money appropriated for children cannot be allocated to other concerns.
Half of Medicaid enrollees are kids, and they consume only 20 percent of Medicaid's expenditures. Medicaid covers 30 million children nationwide and 550,000 in
Children, far and away, are society's most precious asset. Without them, today's working adults stand no prospect of stable retirement years and our economy collapses. Keeping children healthy in their early years prevents large expenses later.
The expensive, more controversial side of Medicaid covers adults who make up half of Medicaid enrollment and consume 80 percent of the costs. If
By all means, roll back or phase out Obamacare's overexpansion into the adult market. Find a way for able-bodied, able-minded adults to obtain care at affordable prices and to purchase insurance for catastrophic problems.
Allow nothing that reduces or threatens care for the millions of children who find themselves at the mercy of society when parents or guardians cannot or do not provide for care. Make children the highest cause of government health care.
The Gazette editorial board
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