Your Opinion: Medicaid expansion will aid economy

The Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The court, however, did what no other court had done allowing the federal government to remove all Medicaid funding for states that do not expand coverage to 133 percent of the federal poverty level was unconstitutional even though the expansion itself is constitutional.

When we do not understand something it is much easier to turn away from it, disagree with it, not like it and/or be fearful of it. Already, the ACA has proved valuable by allowing children to remain on their parent's insurance policy until age 26. People with preexisting conditions are capable of getting health insurance at an equal premium to others.

The above items are mentioned only as a beginning to understanding the ACA for there is much more to the law. One of the most important areas to comprehend is the expansion of the Medicaid program.

If expanded, according to the Missouri Department of Social Services, an estimated 300,000 uninsured Missourians are expected to enroll in the MO HealthNet program.

This year, like last year, if Missouri lawmakers make a political rather than humane/moral decision those people will remain uninsured and the state of Missouri will lose money.

With Medicaid expansion Missouri will receive 100 percent federal funding for the next two years gradually lowering to a 90 percent match by 2020. That federal fund is typically matched at a 63 percent rate. The state now estimates that Medicaid expansion would bring in billions of dollars in federal funding yet with offsets, estimated by the office of Budget & Planning it would cost the state nothing.

This will grant an enormous amount of needed funding both for Missouri as well as medical providers leading to economic ripple effects as these health care providers pay rent, purchase food, pay taxes and so on.

Refusing to expand Medicaid saves Missouri nothing; however, we will still be helping other states expand. In other words, tax dollars go to the states that are expanding Medicaid as Missouri sits idly by while 300,000 people go uninsured who otherwise could be insured and the state loses billions of dollars by 2020 alone.

Missouri's economy is weak and Medicaid expansion will strengthen it.