Pennsylvania’s top officials spoke out Monday against one of the potential changes to the Affordable Care Act.
President Trump has pledged to get rid the ACA and has already signed executive orders that could threaten its funding.
Auditor General Eugene Depasquale, and Treasurer Joe Torsella called a news conference to voice their concerns about possible elimination of the Medicaid Expansion Program. It covers more than 675,000 Pennsylvanians, many of them living in rural areas.
They urged the state’s congressional delegation not to eliminate the program, without creating an adequate replacement. DePasquale said the move would have devastating consequences for residents covered by it, as well as a ripple effect on rural hospitals, the state’s economy, and efforts to battle the opioid epidemic.
“While the state is spending about $20 million to set up Centers for Excellence, funding for the actual treatment will come from Medicaid, so again, if you believe the opioid crisis is real and believe the state of Pennsylvania needs to work to tackle it, Medicaid Expansion is a critical tool to tight that.”
The state treasurer estimates that eliminating the Medicaid Expansion could cost the state economy $4.5 billion.
In a separate statement, Governor Tom Wolf said proposal to replace the Medicaid Expansion with a block grant to the state would cut health coverage for many Pennsylvanians.