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[NOLA.com, 06/05/15]
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<p>by Bruce Alpert, NOLA.com | Times-Picayune </p>
<p>WASHINGTON – The Obama administration is releasing new numbers Thursday (June 4) it says shows significant health and economic benefits if Louisiana and 21 other states reverse earlier decisions to reject federal funding for a major Medicaid expansion included in the Affordable Care Act.</p>
<p>The report, relying on data from the Urban Institute, says expanding Medicaid coverage would increase health coverage for 193,000 low-income Louisiana residents in 2016. It estimates that 4.3 million in the 22 states that didn't expand Medicaid – including Alabama, Texas, Mississippi and Florida -- would lose out on health coverage next year -- barring a reversal of policy.</p>
<p>The projection for Louisiana is lower than earlier estimates that 242,000 residents would gain coverage by expanding Medicaid.</p>
<p>In March, Families USA, a pro-Affordable Care Act research group, reported that 362,000 state residents would gain coverage from a Medicaid expansion, and that 56 percent are working. The breakdown of the 56 percent who are working, the report says, are 34,000 people employed as food service workers; 25,000 in sales; 17,000 in office and administrative support jobs; 24,000 in construction, 22,000 in cleaning and maintenance; 14,000 in transportation, including bus drivers and taxi drivers; and 14,000 in personal care, including child care workers,</p>
<p>Even with the lower numbers in the White House report, Obama administration officials said the benefits are substantial.</p>
<p>The report cites research that access to health care through Medicaid increases the probability that enrollees will have access to clinic care – including a primary care physician -- by 23.8 percentage points. It says women over 50 would have a 29.7 percent greater possibility of receiving a mammogram in a 12-month period, and that access to a pap smear would increase by 14.4 percent.</p>
<p>For low-income workers, having access to Medicaid means fewer economic struggles, the report said. It estimates 27,400 fewer Louisiana residents would have trouble paying bills because the burden of health costs would be removed.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2015/06/expanding_medicaid_would_add_1.html">MORE>></a></p>
<p>WASHINGTON – The Obama administration is releasing new numbers Thursday (June 4) it says shows significant health and economic benefits if Louisiana and 21 other states reverse earlier decisions to reject federal funding for a major Medicaid expansion included in the Affordable Care Act.</p>
<p>The report, relying on data from the Urban Institute, says expanding Medicaid coverage would increase health coverage for 193,000 low-income Louisiana residents in 2016. It estimates that 4.3 million in the 22 states that didn't expand Medicaid – including Alabama, Texas, Mississippi and Florida -- would lose out on health coverage next year -- barring a reversal of policy.</p>
<p>The projection for Louisiana is lower than earlier estimates that 242,000 residents would gain coverage by expanding Medicaid.</p>
<p>In March, Families USA, a pro-Affordable Care Act research group, reported that 362,000 state residents would gain coverage from a Medicaid expansion, and that 56 percent are working. The breakdown of the 56 percent who are working, the report says, are 34,000 people employed as food service workers; 25,000 in sales; 17,000 in office and administrative support jobs; 24,000 in construction, 22,000 in cleaning and maintenance; 14,000 in transportation, including bus drivers and taxi drivers; and 14,000 in personal care, including child care workers,</p>
<p>Even with the lower numbers in the White House report, Obama administration officials said the benefits are substantial.</p>
<p>The report cites research that access to health care through Medicaid increases the probability that enrollees will have access to clinic care – including a primary care physician -- by 23.8 percentage points. It says women over 50 would have a 29.7 percent greater possibility of receiving a mammogram in a 12-month period, and that access to a pap smear would increase by 14.4 percent.</p>
<p>For low-income workers, having access to Medicaid means fewer economic struggles, the report said. It estimates 27,400 fewer Louisiana residents would have trouble paying bills because the burden of health costs would be removed.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2015/06/expanding_medicaid_would_add_1.html">MORE>></a></p>