Michael Hiltzik: No, Medicaid expansion did not worsen the opioid crisis — but it's crucial for fixing the problem
One of the most popular partisan attacks on Medicaid is the claim that the program's expansion under the Affordable Care Act exacerbated the opioid crisis in America. _
You'll find this claim retailed on right-wing websites all across the internet. It's been energetically marketed by Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., who paints a picture of an army of Medicaid patients using their government-provided ID cards to obtain prescription opioids for free, then turning around and selling the drugs at a terrific markup.
Johnson's claim has been widely debunked,
