Non-Expansion States May Pay Billions Anyway Without Any Benefits

A new study examines the costs of Medicaid expansion in states that oppose it and finds residents in those states will shoulder the burden for other states to capitalize.

A new report argues states that refuse Medicaid expansion are exposing their residents to billions in new taxes without seeing the benefits of broadening health coverage to more low-income adults.

by Chris Kardish

Full Story: http://www.governing.com/topics/health-human-services/Report-Taxpayers-In-Non-Expansion-States-Will-Pay-Billions-Without-Seeing-Benefits.html

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Kentucky’s unlikely health care heartthrob

For anxious national Democrats who have pined for a white knight in the health care reform debate, Steve Beshear is starting to look like the one they’ve been waiting for – implausible as that development may be.

Amid a torrent of negative national headlines about the Affordable Care Act, the 69-year-old Kentucky governor – a canny Southern operator who’s spent his career at arm’s length from the Democratic base – has charged out of Frankfort as a kind of ambassador-by-default for the controversial law. He has toured the cable networks, appeared on “Meet the Press” and authored a tartly worded New York Times op-ed telling Republican ACA opponents to “get out of the way so I can help my people.” This week, congressional Democrats hosted Beshear at their Thursday caucus meeting to learn from his example on health care.

By ALEXANDER BURNS

Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2013/12/kentucky-health-care-steve-beshear-100812.html#ixzz2mz9mX8bA