Illinois’ decision to expand eligibility for the Medicaid program is a huge financial boon for the state. It fills a historic gap in Medicaid by covering the poorest Illinoisans who have historically been left out of the program. This means they can get preventive care and be kept out of emergency rooms and long-term hospital stays. This gives them a much better chance to succeed in the workforce or to become entrepreneurs. The economics of the program are a no-brainer for Illinois.
Filling the Medicaid gap is now fully federally funded and will never be less than 90 percent federally funded. That is why Republican governors are increasingly doing the math and opting into Medicaid expansion for their states (Indiana is the latest). It is also why the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, the Illinois Hospital Association, Cook County and almost every business, consumer organization, medical provider and local government supported Medicaid expansion when it passed in Illinois in 2013.
Recent criticism of Medicaid expansion, including “The state of this state? Critical” (Editorial, Feb. 4) boils down to a complaint that the Quinn administration’s forecast of enrollment numbers was low: More people are getting health coverage than predicted! That may be a legitimate critique of forecasting skills. But in the real world, it is quite good news.
Because the Medicaid program leverages federal funds, filling the Medicaid gap makes more financial sense for Illinois as more people enroll. Because of Medicaid expansion, Cook County Hospital broke even for the first time in decades, a plus for Cook County property taxpayers.
And it should never be considered a bad outcome when more people than expected get needed health care.
— John Bouman, Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law, Chicago
