WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressmen G. K. Butterfield (NC-01) and Hank Johnson (GA-04), along with more than 30 House colleagues, announced the formation of the State Medicaid Expansion Caucus during a press conference earlier today. Although the caucus will work to amplify all Medicaid-related issues, they will emphasize the need for recalcitrant states to expand Medicaid via floor speeches, op-eds, social media posts, briefings and events.
“Expanding Medicaid will ensure access to health care for millions of low-income Americans, said Johnson. “It will bring the security of health insurance to working people who are struggling to make ends meet. But it will also bring billions of dollars into each states economy as people go to work providing care and beneficiaries see improved health outcomes. The people who will benefit from expanding Medicaid are no less deserving of health care than anyone else.”
“Twenty four states’ decision to not accept billions of dollars in federal support defies logic and will prove catastrophic for the very people the Medicaid program is intended to help,” Butterfield said. “The public is demanding action in states that have not expanded and members of the State Medicaid Expansion Caucus are tired of inaction. We will continue to press this issue until all 50 states have expanded Medicaid.”
The members were joined by representatives from healthcare advocacy groups, including: Families USA; Center on Budget and Policy Priorities; Coalition on Human Needs; the Catholic Health Association of the United States; and the Georgetown Center for Children and Families.
Visit here to learn more about the new State Medicaid Expansion Caucus. To view Congressman Butterfield’s floor speech announcing its launch click here.
We already have 33,000,000 people on Medicaid to pay for, I think that is enough.
http://www.usdebtclock.org/
Included in that 33 million are our elected representatives, who are too poor to pay for their own insurance.