We need to remember that many seniors are dependent on Medicaid in addition to Medicare for health care. Also many are counting on Medicaid for later life health support ( nursing homes etc). How Medicaid in the future is structured and the guidelines issued will go along way in depending the quality of life for many of us. The following article from the Heritage Foundation gives some perspective:
Three Steps to Medicaid Reform
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The House of Representatives recently passed a budget resolution that recommends a Medicaid block grant, which puts Medicaid spending on a budget like other government programs and gives states greater flexibility to manage the program. These are both important changes, but clear policy goals must accompany them to reform Medicaid in a fundamental way.
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There are various ways to put Medicaid spending on a budget. For instance, The Heritage Foundation’s Saving the American Dream fiscal plan sets an aggregate federal spending cap on Medicaid and other welfare programs. From there, the Heritage plan separates spending by non-disabled and disabled/elderly. The non-disabled spending is then converted into a per capita premium support subsidy. The disabled and elderly spending is then converted into a block grant to the states and adjusted on a per capita basis for medical inflation.
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Second, the plan transitions low-income elderly out of the current dueling Medicare and Medicaid structure and into a coordinated care model like Medicare Advantage, allowing Medicaid to provide additional assistance as necessary. Finally, the plan restores traditional Medicaid to a true safety net—intended to assist those with disabilities while providing greater flexibility to the states to address the complex needs of these populations.
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How states decide to manage block grants and their ability to provide quite probably will vary from state to state. Perhaps future best places to retire will take this into account. On the other hand because of the expansion of Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act it will require states if the the act is repealed to make big decisions. Depending on the rules established they may favor immigrant populations the non elderly poor and and the young thus making different decisions than say South Carolina or Texas. Perhaps living in a state that didn't expand Medicaid will soon prove to be a better place.
It is probably worthy of thought and discussion.
Oh yeah and if repealed and Medicaid expansion ended California would lose 20 Billion in federal aid. That is a chunk of change and the subject of a big article in todays LA Times. I didn't link it because it deals more with the program and doesn't directly connect its impact to seniors. Lots of seniors in California on Medicaid and lots of immigrants and lots of support for health care support if the feds are paying.
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