Louisiana would be uniquely penalized in the calculation of federal spending on state Medicaid programs under the Senate GOP’s proposed health law rewrite, Gov. John Bel Edwards said.
As The Associated Press reports, Edwards argued the new per-capita payment calculator that would be used to divvy up Medicaid dollars uses a formula that would downplay an enrollment boost in Louisiana’s program due to Medicaid expansion.
Edwards has widespread problems with the bill, which has been delayed for a vote because Republican Senate leaders can’t rally enough support from GOP lawmakers to pass the measure.
“There’s not a lot of redeeming qualities about the bill. I would hope they throw it out and start over,” Edwards said on a conference call with Montana Gov. Steve Bullock, two Democrats leading states that supported President Donald Trump.
Edwards’ heaviest criticisms of the Senate bill center on its plan to significantly shrink spending on the traditional Medicaid program for low-income, disabled and elderly people and to phase out extra money given to states that expanded their Medicaid programs to cover the working poor.
Louisiana would have to end its expansion coverage as soon as the extra money ends, because “it will become unaffordable,” Edwards said. But he noted there’s also a unique financing twist for Louisiana in the cap payment structure the legislation would enact overall for Medicaid.
Louisiana was the last state to expand Medicaid to more people as allowed under former President Barack Obama’s health overhaul. Edwards enacted the expansion when he took office, after Republican former Gov. Bobby Jindal had refused to participate for years.
Medicaid expansion only has been in effect for one year in Louisiana, with 430,000 people enrolled.
