Good for her for keeping Medicaid expansion in the news:
Democratic Sen. Capri Cafaro unveiled during a Tuesday news conference the latest legislative measure aimed at reforming and expanding Medicaid in Ohio. And while Cafaro’s proposal included some new policy, the senator focused mostly on trying to dispel a central Republican complaint — Medicaid expansion would siphon money from state coffers. Cafaro argues that expanding Medicaid would save Ohio billions.
The Northeast Ohio senator provided an analysis of Medicaid spending by the Health Policy Institute of Ohio and Ohio State University that showed that the state’s Medicaid spending would reach $17.4 billion in 2025 if no expansion is agreed to. Ohio could save up to $3.2 billion during that period if lawmakers pass an expansion, according to the analysis.
The GOP-controlled legislature jettisoned the expansion, and a handful of bills circulating the Statehouse seek to reform or expand the federal program.
Cafaro’s legislation is supported by Senate Democrats. No Republicans have endorsed the measure.
“Given what we have laid out, why would somebody not support this?” Cafaro said. “We’ve taken the cost considerations off the table. We are promoting efficiency, we are promoting shared responsibility by both individuals and providers…and we are covering more people. I’d like to know why somebody would say no.”
We already know why Republicans say no, because the Ohio Tea Party has one issue and that issue is opposition to Obamacare. Without that opposition, the Ohio Tea Party has absolutely nothing to offer or talk about and they go back to being what they were prior to Obamacare – the same old cranky and disgruntled GOP base:
The most outspoken House Republican supporter of Medicaid expansion (not much competition for that distinction) has attracted attention from the Toledo Tea Party, which is actively seeking a candidate to challenge her in the 2014 primary.
Rep. Barbara Sears of Sylvania, a member of the House GOP leadership team and considered one of the most knowledgeable members on Medicaid and health care, has backed Gov. John Kasich’s effort to expand Medicaid to Ohioans making up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level.
The expansion is possible under Obamacare – an association that prompted Tea Party groups in Ohio earlier this year to threaten GOP lawmakers with primary challenges if they support it.
The Toledo Tea Party quotes Linda Bowyer, spokeswoman for Conservative Coalition: “NWOCC supporters are very upset with Rep Sears and her continuing efforts to implement Obamacare Medicaid Expansion.” She added: “We’ve been interviewing candidates throughout northwest Ohio. Our supporters have made it clear to us that we need to support candidates who will actively work to oppose Obamacare, and oppose any candidate that is working to implement Obamacare.”
Sears said she is confident she will prevail in next year’s election. Asked if she knows of any colleagues yet who are facing tea party primary challenges over Medicaid expansion, Sears said there is a reason her name is the only one on the expansion bill.
This probably doesn’t help her any:
considered one of the most knowledgeable members on Medicaid and health care
Oh, definitely get rid of her, then. Cull the knowledgeable members – immediately.
Just Some Fuckhead
Medicaid used to be a fairly popular way to ensure life and death didn’t come down to a question of dollars and cents but then Obama went and made it icky.
Yatsuno
PURITY UBER ALLES!!! Changed daily depending on what THAT ONE wants.
@Just Some Fuckhead: Before Obummer touched Medicaid it was just kinda icky cause it did help blahs, browns, and poors. Then he got his IslamofascistKenyanmooslim cooties all over it and really ruined it. Thanks Obummer.
burnspbesq
I love the use of “Northeast Ohio” as a dog-whistle to make a legislator from a small town east of Youngstown look like just another Commie from Cleveland.
Patricia Kayden
Because providing health care to all is so evil!
Wow. So glad Repubs are not in the White House.
Dave
Sounds like Sen. Cafaro has some lofty ambitions.
Belafon
It’s the good Christian thing to do to let the poor die. If Jesus wanted them alive he would resurrect them.
/Winger
RobertB
@burnspbesq : Nah, ‘Youngstown’ is the dogwhistle for ‘mobster’. ‘Cafaro’ whistles a little bit as well. At least it does for me. I’m willing to put her on the side of the angels, though.
Just Some Fuckhead
@Patricia Kayden:
Jesus provided free health care and they killed Him. What other lesson can you draw from that?
Ted & Hellen
Is it me or do most of the brave legislators who take aggressive public stands like this on behalf of educating the public and saying what’s really what, and fighting back against the Republican Tea Machine’s bullshit seem to have…ovaries?
Is it that the boys in the boys’ clubs don’t want to rock the testicular boat and upset their fellow oligarchs, so it’s left to the Ovarian Warriors who never would have been invited into the clubhouse to do the necessary dirty work?
Help me out here…
Belafon
@Just Some Fuckhead: A tweet from God yesterday went something like: A religion built around the teachings of Jesus sounds like it would be pretty awesome.
Zifnab
Remember all those Republicans screaming about how “No one reads the bills! No one knows what is being passed! We can’t vote on legislation until everyone has had six months to parse through every last line of the bill, because Congressmen are illiterate!”
Gee, I wonder how politicians that can’t/don’t/won’t read legislation before voting on it get into office? Hmm…
Just Some Fuckhead
@Belafon: lolz
Zifnab
@Ted & Hellen: What’s your opinion on boysenberry? Too sticky and sweet? I’ve always found the crust to be key to making it work.
Trakker
“Cull the knowledgeable members – immediately.”
WTF is going on in this country? I no longer understand those people, have no desire to mingle with them, and would not be upset anymore if they left us and formed their own country. I would demand a wall.
The tea party is strangling this country and someday we are going to be faced with so many huge problems that must be fixed immediately and we won’t be able to afford it. I suspect that in the future we will end lumped with the developing countries in the rankings of economics and standard of living unless we can rid ourselves of these hateful, self-destructive nihilists.
Napoleon
@burnspbesq:
Especially since she is from a wealthy family:
http://www.cafarocompany.com/
Kay
@Zifnab:
I think it’s hilarious, because they really struck pay dirt with the base on the number of pages of the health care bill. They still do it. Romney’s health care law in MA had ONLY SIXTY PAGES.
Or so I am told.
I just stand there and listen to this. There’s nothing to say. I don’t care.
Short Bus Bully
@Ted & Hellen:
Yep. That’s the deal in a fucking nutshell. Get the Senate and House up towards 50% ladies and just watch shit start changing…
Paul in KY
@Just Some Fuckhead: Never looked at it from that angle. Thought provoking…
Paul in KY
@Ted & Hellen: Does seem that way lately.
Mr Stagger Lee
@RobertB: Well she could be a DeBartrolo, who was a competitor in the mall development business, that would raise the dog whistles. I am glad for her and wish her sucecss, she and Tim Ryan the congressman are certainly a better class than James Traficant, who totally embarrassed that region.
Patricia Kayden
@Zifnab: Did Repubs say the same about the Patriot Act, which I’ve heard is quite hefty?
Yatsuno
@Patricia Kayden: No, that’s totally different because shut up that’s why.
Zifnab
@Patricia Kayden: No Patricia. No they did not.
Although, one thing you WILL get from the rank-and-file anti-Patriot Act Republican is the note that DHS was originally the brainchild of Joe Biden and Joe Lieberman, back in the 90s. So, really, the entire PATRIOT Act is Democrats’ faults.
Just Some Fuckhead
@Paul in KY:
That’s what makes me a Thought Leader. :)
Berial
I’m pretty sure I know the answer, but did anyone ever answer this statement? “I’d like to know why somebody would say no.”
Berial
I’m pretty sure I know the answer, but did anyone ever answer this statement? “I’d like to know why somebody would say no.”
ellie
I am from NW Ohio and Sylvania is a very well-to-do suburb. Good luck to the tea party in trying to get some troglodyte to run. I am sure there are some who live there but there is no way they would win. In particular, Sylvania residents are proud of their award winning school system and electing someone who would ultimately want to defund them, will never, ever fly. Ever.
linda
Barbara Sears has come across my path. She cares about veterans issues. She is conservative but not a butthead. No wonder the tea party hates her.
fidelio
@Ted & Hellen: Well, duh. I believe the position of many male legislators on whether to actively speak up and fight against such legislation lies in the neighborhood of “No dog, personally, in this fight”. They’re not opposed to protecting women’s interests in this area–as long as it doesn’t affect their re-election chances.
PurpleGirl
I don’t have the numbers but I believe the largest users of Medicaid (by expense costs) are nice middle class seniors in nursing homes. Having run out their savings and sold their homes in accordance with an asset retention plan, their nursing home expenses are covered by Medicaid and their medical expenses get covered by Medicare.
Medicaid expansion would at least add back some of the low-income and poor people Medicaid was meant to help.