Letter to the Editor: Medicaid expansion
BY Randi Eldevik, Stillwater
Monday, March 04, 2013
3/04/13 at 2:56 AM
An article in the Tulsa World showed Maine is one of several states that are unclear or undecided on the question of Medicaid expansion. The article pointed out that many Obama states already have decided in favor of Medicaid expansion. The article went on to state, "That logic would suggest that four other Obama states led by Republican governors - Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maine, and Virginia - could be primed for tipping."
Maine may indeed be tipping. However, from what I know about Maine, I believe there is only one reason why Maine has not yet accepted Medicaid expansion; if my information is accurate, then it would be a different reason from that of some other states. In 2003, Maine adopted its own state system of universal health insurance.
Assuming this system is still in effect, I would conjecture that the people of Maine may be satisfied with the state-run health insurance they already have.
Will the Tulsa World please investigate and report in more detail on the state of Maine? If the situation with regard to Maine's state-run health care recently has changed, that ought to be noted.
And if Maine still has its state-run universal health care, then the Tulsa World should explain to readers how the situation in Maine is different from the situation in other states that have not yet accepted Medicaid expansion.
When pondering the Oklahoma governor's reluctance to accept Medicaid expansion, readers will find it useful to understand why other states make various decisions.
Letters to the editor are encouraged. Send letters to letters@tulsaworld.com.
