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Nebraska Appleseed Director of Healthcare Access Says Medicaid Expansion "Critical"

A new report from US Census Bureau data says 50,000 more Nebraskans were insured in 2015 than in 2013, but roughly 154,000 remain uninsured.  

The Nebraska Legislature’s Legislative Fiscal Office reported nearly 100,000 of them fall into the “coverage gap,” which exists in Nebraska and the 18 other states that have not expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act

James Goddard, Director of Healthcare Access for Nebraska Appleseed, says the argument that expanding Medicaid would be too costly isn’t supported by many states who’ve done so. They’ve seen it generate revenue, especially in the health-care system:

 “With more people seeing a doctor, seeing a nurse, buying durable medical equipment and all of the downstream effects of that in terms of revenue creation; it’s definitely been seen in other states, and there have been reports on what folks believe would be generated in Nebraska – over 100 million dollars over a few years I believe – and ultimately helping those that are unable to access health care right now is critical to the future of our state.”

According to NeAppleseed.org, this year, a Nebraska family of three earning more than $11,700 wouldn’t qualify for Medicaid, but they’d have to earn nearly $21,000 to qualify for subsidies in the Health Care Marketplace.

Under Medicaid expansion, that same family could make just under $28,000 and qualify for Medicaid, since it would cover those earning up to 138% of the Federal Poverty Level.

For more information on this report and the Medicaid coverage gap, the websites are:  https://neappleseed.org/healthcare

https://www.census.gov/library/publications/2016/demo/p60-257.html