States Saying No to PPACA Could See Downside

           In an article by the Austin American Statesman, Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar writes about the downsides to Rick Perry's saying "no" to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. By rejecting the Medicaid expansion, Perry will be leaving 1.3 million Texans without health insurance. The current Medicaid program currently provides insurance for low-income children, mothers, and disabled people, and through Obama’s expansion was expected to add 15 million uninsured low-income people. According to “Obamacare,” those who are already eligible for Medicaid will keep their coverage, while those above the poverty line would have subsidized private coverage.

           However, by rejecting the law, millions of people under the poverty line will be left without insurance in a coverage gap now being called the new “doughnut hole,” in reference to the Medicare gap forcing many seniors to pay for drugs out of pocket. What’s worse is that federal tax money from states which reject the law will be going to neighboring states to uphold it, meaning that we’d have still have to pay for it without getting any of the benefits. Many state officials are planning on waiting until the November election to make a decision, while others like Rick Perry are still as adamant as ever. This highly controversial topic will surely continue to capture the media’s attention. Despite this, I still remain rather indifferent about the topic.