Pirate's Cove

Hey, maybe of so many Democrat run states hadn’t spent so much money on illegals, they would have some cash. But, really, they’re finding out that it’s easy to say “Medicare for all” but realizing that Obamacare spiked health insurance and care costs so much that this makes no fiscal sense

States step into the breach as Obamacare subsidies lapse

At least a dozen states are working to shield people from soaring health insurance costs following Congress’ failure to extend Obamacare subsidies for tens of millions of Americans.

The efforts, which include actions taken by state leaders in California, Colorado and Maryland, in nearly every case come with a major caveat: They will only be able to help a portion of the people whose health insurance will be too expensive without the enhanced subsidies that Congress opted not to renew before leaving Washington for the year.

“We can carry the cost for a little bit, but at some point, we will need Congress to act,” said Javier Martínez, speaker of the House in New Mexico, the only state so far to cover all lapsed subsidies. “No state can withstand to plug in every single budget hole that the Trump administration leaves behind.”

The speed at which the mostly Democratic states have taken action underscores the mounting national anxiety about the medical and political impact the end of these subsidies will have. Millions of Americans will no longer be able to afford health insurance, straining the budgets of state welfare programs and hospitals that are already in the red, and threatening to erode access to care to a level not seen in years.

Responses have so far been uneven, reflecting political and economic realities across the country. Georgia and Washington, for instance, are not likely to cover the subsidies, though for very different reasons. Other states, like Connecticut and New Mexico, have already acted, allocating money in sessions earlier this year in preparation for the possibility, and may add more in the upcoming year.

Perhaps Democrats shouldn’t have set this whole thing to fail with the expiring subsidies? Or created Obamacare to start with?

In Minnesota, one of several states that may take up the issue when legislatures reconvene in January, the idea of replacing the subsidies has faced opposition from both parties.

State Sen. Matt Klein, who is running for the congressional seat vacated by Democratic Rep. Angie Craig, said he has struggled to convince some members of his party to allocate the funding because they see it as a boondoggle for private insurers.

Say, I wonder what Minnesota could have done with at least $9 billion that disappeared into fraud? Sure could have helped, eh? Funny how they had no problem doling out butt-tons of money to unvetted Somali groups but won’t help Americans.

In Washington state, House Majority Leader Joe Fitzgibbon cited his state’s budget shortfall as the primary reason they cannot backfill the health subsidies. And in Minnesota, Klein stressed, “We don’t, at this point in our fiscal cycle, have a lot of extra money.”

Oops? They’re finding out how expensive Obamacare made health.