Did you know?

Michael Gerson writes:

... Obama could abandon universal coverage and concentrate on health-care access for the poor and working class. A serious expansion of Medicaid -- already included in House and Senate health proposals -- is separable from other reforms and scalable to whatever level Congress deems affordable. And because this option expands an existing federal health-care role instead of creating one, it is less scary.

In order to qualify for Medicaid, you not only can't be earning much money, but you also have to divest yourself of practically all of your (non-house) assets. Even your 401K. You are typically allowed a house and an inexpensive car and less than $2K in your checking account, but that's it.

It's not clear what Gerson means by "expanding" Medicaid. If it's merely to raise the income criteria, it may give some middle class people medical services, but they'll still end up wiped out financially.


posted by Quiddity at 9/02/2009 02:08:00 AM