There’s No Free Lunch
So if the federal government is picking up the check then it must be free…right? Who in the world would be against providing “free” health insurance to low income Arkansans? Maybe the Grinch That Stole Insurance, but certainly not me. Wait a minute, I’m sure that my daddy told me that there’s no such thing as a free lunch.
The Obama Care proponents will tell you that federal dollars will pay 100% of the cost for the first three years. The people of Arkansas will not have to pay anything? Of course we will! Arkansans are also federal taxpayers so we will be paying the bill.
What the PPACA lovers fail to tell you is that the “free cheese” only lasts for three years, and after that the federal government will start to decrease its’ share of the cost. If this Private Option is allowed to move forward the taxpayers of Arkansas will be facing a serious budget crisis a few years down the road. Why face that crisis when we can stop it now?
Not only is it not free, it’s expensive to boot. The Private Option, if allowed to survive, will be more expensive than the traditional Medicaid expansion according to the CBO, possibly as much as 50% more per recipient.
To use an old advertising cliché, “but wait…that’s not all.” The Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) put forth a memo that stated any State that uses a Private Option must provide “wrap-around” coverage that would pick up any excess cost-sharing (i.e., copays, deductibles, coinsurance, etc.). Some people who are in favor of a Private Option say that these plans require an individual to have skin in the game when it comes to paying copays and other out of pocket medical expenses, which in turn will make them use their insurance more wisely.
What they don’t tell you is Medicaid limits the amount an individual can pay out of their own pocket for services. In other words if you would normally pay a $20 copay to see the doctor, Medicaid limits it to $4. So who picks up the $16 difference? You guessed it.
There’s much more information out there concerning the Private Option and I encourage you to educate yourself. Call your representatives and tell them to VOTE NO on the Private Option. Just remember this…there’s no free lunch.
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The following Republican Representatives voted FOR Medicaid Expansion:
(R) Rep. Denny Altes
Dist.63, 8600 Moody Road, Fort Smith, AR 72903-6718
Business 479-646-8981
Residence 479-484-5494
Email aaltes@aol.com
(R) Rep. Nate Bell
Dist.20, P. O. Box 2103, Mena, AR 71953-2020
Residence 479-394-5665
nate.bell@arkansashouse.org
(R) Rep. Duncan Baird
Dist. 96, P. O. Box 185 Lowell, AR 72745-0185
Business 479-439-1717
duncan.baird@arkansashouse.org
(R) Rep. Mark Biviano
Dist.46, 118 Emerald Lake Drive, Searcy, AR 72143-3055
Business/Residence 501-230-5751
mkbiv@cablelynx.com
(R) Representative Ken Bragg
Dist.15, 63 Pinecrest Circle, Sheridan, 72150
Phone 870-942-5269
Email kenbragg@windstream.net
(R) Rep. David L. Branscum
Dist. 83, P. O. Box 370, Marshall, AR 72650-0370
870-448-2408
Business 870-448-2069
Residence 870-448-5124
davidlbranscum@hotmail.com
(R) Rep. John Burris
Dist.98, Minority Leaderm 923 West Prospect Avenue, Harrison, AR 72601-3261
Business 870-688-6181
burrisforstaterep@gmail.com
(R) Rep. Davy Carter
Dist. 43, P. O. Box 628, Cabot, AR 72023-0628
Business 501-941-4203 FAX 501-941-4241
Legislative Office 501-605-1346
davy.carter@gmail.com
(R) Rep. Charlie Collins
Dist.84, 3225 East Piper Glen, Fayetteville, AR 72703-4394
479-283-9303
clcollins6@cox.net
(R) Rep. Robert E. Dale
Dist.68, 90 Claud Hottinger Road, Dover, AR 72837-8060
Business 479-970-3503
Residence 479-331-3503
redale70@yahoo.com
(R) Representative Andy Davis
Dist.31, P. O. Box 30248, Little Rock, 72260
Phone 501-837-5109
Email andy.davis@arkansashouse.org
(R) Representative Dan M. Douglas
Dist.91, 6251 SW Regional Airport Blvd., Bentonville, 72712
Phone 479-619-9231
Email dan-douglas@sbcglobal.net
(R) Rep. Jeremy Gillam
Dist.45, 1825 Missle Base Road, Judsonia, AR 72081-9169
Business 501-729-0042
Residence 501-940-5757
FAX 501-729-3361
jeremy@growing45.com
(R) Rep. Mary P. “Prissy” Hickerson
Dist.1, 2805 Forest Avenue, Texarkana, AR 71854-7740
870-773-1603 Residence
FAX 870-773-0439
phickerson@valornet.com
(R) Representative Douglas House
Dist. 40,8923 Bridge Creek Road, North Little Rock, 72120
Phone 501-590-1055
Email housedouglas@gmail.com
(R) Rep. Andrea Lea
Dist.71, P. O. Box 1342, Russellville, AR 72811-1342
Business 479-967-4922
andrea.lea@arkansashouse.org
(R) Rep. Stephanie Malone
Dist.77, 2105 South O Street, Fort Smith, AR 72901-5737
Business 479-452-4554
Residence: 479-629-1023
stephanie.malone@arkansashouse.org
(R) Rep. Andy Mayberry
Dist.27, 3022 East Woodson Lateral Road, Hensley, AR 72065-9169
501-888-3522 Business
andymayberry@windstream.net
(R) Representative Micah S. Neal
Dist. 89, P. O. Box 1912, Springdale, 72765
Phone 479-935-5550
Email micah.neal@arkansashouse.org
(R) Rep. Matthew Shepherd
Dist.6, 423 North Washington Avenue, El Dorado, AR 71730-5615
Business 870-862-3478
Cell 870-814-2080
FAX 870-862-7228
matthew.shepherd@arkansashouse.org
Phone number For The Arkansas House: 501-682-6211
Phone number For The Arkansas Senate: 501-682-2902
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Secure Arkansas
Arkansas.SecureTheRepublic.com
Information@SecureArkansas.com
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