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Medicaid Expansion Refusal Has Grim Consequences

Leon County Judge John Cooper on June 30, 2022, in a screen grab from The Florida Channel.
The Florida Channel
Leon County Judge John Cooper on June 30, 2022, in a screen grab from The Florida Channel.

Thanks to the Rand Corporation, there is now an unquestionably unbiased report that shows the devastating results of states' refusal to expand Medicaid, Florida health-policy consultant Paul Gionfriddo writes at his blog Our Health Policy Matters.

The Rand authors studied 14 states that refused to accept federal funds to expand Medicaid to those under 100 percent of the poverty level because those states are dominated by Republicans who don't like the Affordable Care Act.

While Florida was not included in the study, the conclusions apply to this state, as well.  They involve a financial blow not only to those who won't be covered who could have been, not only to the hospitals that treat these uninsured patients, but also to state and local taxpayers who will be paying extra for services they won't be receiving.

Originally founded in December 2006 as an independent grassroots publication dedicated to coverage of health issues in Florida, Health News Florida was acquired by WUSF Public Media in September 2012.