Trump has a perfect blueprint to make the poor pay more for Medicaid: Mike Pence's Indiana

[DonViejo]

SARAH K. BURRIS
27 DEC 2016 AT 10:20 ET

The architect of Indiana’s Medicaid expansion has been hired by the incoming Donald Trump administration. If what she did to Mike Pence’s state is any indication, Medicaid will soon become a more profitable enterprise on the backs of the poor and disabled.

Seema Verma has just been named to run the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and according to an NPR report, we can look at her work in Indiana for what we might expect. She was hired by Gov. Mike Pence to create a “Republican version” of Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act.

For a $5 million fee, Verma devised a system that requires the poor and disabled to pay a monthly fee for Medicare. The program expanded Medicaid to an additional 246,000 people, who all pay $1 to about $27 into individual health savings accounts.

If they don’t pay, they lose their health care. Those above the poverty level lose their health care for three months. Anyone below the poverty level who can’t pay has their plan taken down to a lower level of care. The plan hasn’t gone into effect yet, however. They asked for a waiver to work out the kinks.

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http://www.rawstory.com/2016/12/trump-has-a-perfect-blueprint-to-make-the-poor-pay-more-for-medicaid-mike-pences-indiana/

[justhanginon]

1. Sometimes it is really difficult for me not to hate! But with the republicans and their

seeming obsession with making life not only more expensive but more difficult for any one that is poor or struggling. By adding layers of requirements they make it easy to default and be eliminated from a program that doesn't even work well to start with and then try to shift the blame from themselves for purposely poorly designed failed social programs.

[Ohioblue22]

2. If you can avoid it don't hate. It doesn't help

[Drahthaardogs]

3. How many people on Medicaid did not vote?

None of this has to be permanent but people need to see the consequences of their inaction. Putting your hand in the fire is the only way some people learn.