Psychologists (and economists) tell us we feel twice as bad about losing $100 we had – than we feel good about finding $100 we didn’t have – even though the economic equation is exactly the same.
A similar psychological puzzlement may underlie 19 Republican governors’ refusal to accept Medicaid expansion – even though the Medicaid will put up $9 for every $1 states pony up for low income health coverage; or I should say $900 million for every $100 million.
Suppose the fed gov were someway able to penalize states $900 million for every $100 million the states did not pay in for low income health care or any other worthy enterprise – what governor, Republican or otherwise, would not come up with the pump primer? Exact same equation … except Medicaid takes taxes the $900 million first and tries to hand it back later … exact.
Many or (more likely) most of those uninsured patients are going to show up in somebody’s medical offices and hospitals anyway (many by then sicker, requiring even more care) – ultimately uploading their costs into private insurance premiums and local gov spending — at 100% share of costs.
Almost forgot: aren’t those Repub govs forever hollering how tax cuts will pump their economies (not true if that just diverts purchasing power from public to private choices – true in recession)? Wouldn’t dumping $900 million extra purchasing power into their states truly expand their economies — or not shrink them?
Almost forgot: a billion dollars will cover health care for something like 140,000 needy patients for a year. Almost forgot.
Psychologists (and economists) tell us we feel twice as bad about losing $100 we had – than we feel good about finding $100 we didn’t have – even though the economic equation is exactly the same.
A similar psychological puzzlement may underlie 19 Republican governors’ refusal to accept Medicaid expansion – even though the Medicaid will put up $9 for every $1 states pony up for low income health coverage; or I should say $900 million for every $100 million.
Suppose the fed gov were someway able to penalize states $900 million for every $100 million the states did not pay in for low income health care or any other worthy enterprise – what governor, Republican or otherwise, would not come up with the pump primer? Exact same equation … except Medicaid takes taxes the $900 million first and tries to hand it back later … exact.
Many or (more likely) most of those uninsured patients are going to show up in somebody’s medical offices and hospitals anyway (many by then sicker, requiring even more care) – ultimately uploading their costs into private insurance premiums and local gov spending — at 100% share of costs.
Almost forgot: aren’t those Repub govs forever hollering how tax cuts will pump their economies (not true if that just diverts purchasing power from public to private choices – true in recession)? Wouldn’t dumping $900 million extra purchasing power into their states truly expand their economies — or not shrink them?
Almost forgot: a billion dollars will cover health care for something like 140,000 needy patients for a year. Almost forgot.