Hokanson 1

Jack Hokanson
Mr. Campopiano
Government 1
2 November 15
Making Medicaid More Easily Available
Only two developed countries in the world do not provide universal healthcare for their
citizens, and the United States is one of them. A switch to total socialized healthcare would be a
drastic change in the United States and a change that would not be welcomed by many citizens;
some residents of the United States need a cheaper alternative to private health care and often
that alternative is Medicaid. Through Medicaid, those under the poverty line receive primary
care, emergency care, and other care that makes sure they can live healthy lives. Unfortunately
not everyone who cannot afford health care is covered by Medicaid. Families of four that make
under 29,700 dollars are currently the only families eligible for Medicaid based on their income
and not other disabilities. Medicaid needs to provide coverage for a greater population of the
United States because for many families private health insurance is too expensive, Medicaid
doesnt cover enough of the population, and providing Medicaid for those who need it can save
lives.
Private health insurance is often times much too expensive for citizens to afford. In 2015,
more than eleven percent of the United States population is uninsured due to the cost of
healthcare being too high (Obamacare Enrollment Numbers 1). Those who cannot afford
private health insurance but barely miss qualifying for Medicaid make up a large portion of that
eleven percent. Covering those citizens with Medicaid could drastically lower the uninsured
population of the United States. For families of four or more people insurance can cost over 500

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dollars a month, and for many families just above the poverty line this is money that needs to go
to rent, food, clothes and other day to day necessities. Under the Affordable Healthcare Act
families that don't have insurance can be fined up to 2,085 dollars a year. (Individual Mandate
Penalty You Pay If You Don't Have Health Insurance Coverage 1) If a family cannot afford
private health insurance how are they supposed to be expected to pay a fine that large? By
making more people eligible for Medicaid this fine can be removed altogether and families can
spend their money on more pressing necessities.
Often times those who need Medicaid the most are not eligible to receive the care they
need because Medicaid does not cover enough of the population. The Affordable Care Act only
provides coverage to the poorest Americans ("Eligibility" 1). Families that are in the 133 percent
of the poverty level qualify for Medicaid. That means that if a family makes under 29,700 dollars
a year they qualify for Medicaid (Eligibility 1). Families that are in the 134 percent portion of
the poverty level are not necessarily more well off than families in the 133 percent. Those
families still need to receive medical care, and that care can be too hard to receive through
current Medicaid qualifications. Care is different based on specific disabilities or diseases
(Medi-Cal 1). Those who have special conditions are more eligible to receive care than those
who just want to make sure their children can see a doctor for a physical. Raising the minimum
income level to qualify more citizens and families for Medicaid will ensure that people who
normally cannot get health care will be able to access care when necessary.
Medicaid can provide modern day health care and innovations in the medical industry
thathave the power to save countless lives. The only problem is, citizens need to be able to access
to that care. An estimated 45,000 deaths a year occur because of a lack of health insurance
(Cecere 1). A higher acceptance rate for Medicaid could easily lower that number of deaths.

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Patients who have cancer, HIV/AIDs, and many other diseases need to have access to the care
that modern society has that can save their lives or make their lives significantly better. If only
one life is saved because a person was able to receive treatment they previously couldnt afford
or access it would be worth the raise of Medicaid acceptance. A study from Harvard University
showed that when Medicaid has expanded its coverage in the past, many peoples quality of
health went up, and death rates went down (Datz 1). Results are the only data that always tell if
something has worked or failed. History has shown that Medicaid expansion has worked. It is
time to once again expand the coverage of Medicaid. With results showing that expansion does
save lives there is no reason to believe that allowing more people to be eligible for Medicaid
would not work again.
Some say that Medicaid coverage is sufficient under its current eligibility rules because it
only covers those who need it most. Change is not always easy to come by even though it is a
necessity of life as the United States grows. For some states the current maximum income to
qualify for Medicaid may seem high enough, but the needs of a few small states do not meet
those of many larger states. In New Hampshire thirteen percent of the state population is in the
100-199 percent of the national poverty level. while in Idaho 25 percent of the states population
is in the 100-199 percent of the national poverty level (Poverty Guidelines for 20152016 1).
This means that in Idaho many more people barely miss the qualification for Medicaid than in
New Hampshire. Such a significant gap in coverage can be greatly reduced by expanding the
coverage of Medicaid. Providing health insurance keeps the population in a healthy state that
allows them to work, help the economy, and most importantly care for their families. It is also
said that Medicaid is a bad program because it keeps people who do not work from finding a job
because they receive free care. Medicaid does not encourage citizens to stay unemployed

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because its only function is to provide proper medical needs (Benefits 1). Medicaid does not
provide money to pay for food or other physical goods, just health care. The expansion of
Medicaid would ensure coverage for those who need it and cannot currently qualify and also can
only be used for necessary Medical care.
The expansion of Medicaid to cover more United States citizens is necessary because for
many families private health insurance is too expensive, Medicaid doesnt cover enough of the
population, and because providing Medicaid for those who need it can save lives. A healthy life
is a benefit of 21st century medical technology that everyone has a right to. With the expansion
of Medicaid that right can become a possibility for all citizens of the United States.

Works Cited
"Benefits." Benefits. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Oct. 2015.

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Cecere, David. "New Study Finds 45,000 Deaths Annually Linked to Lack of Health
Coverage." Harvard Gazette. Harvard, 17 Dec. 2009. Web. 22 Oct. 2015.
Datz, Todd. "Expanding Medicaid to Low-income Adults Leads to Improved Health,
Fewer Deaths." News. Harvard, 25 July 2012. Web. 22 Oct. 2015.
"Eligibility." Eligibility. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Oct. 2015.
"Individual Mandate Penalty You Pay If You Don't Have Health Insurance Coverage."
HealthCare.gov. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Oct. 2015.
"Medi-Cal." Overview. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Oct. 2015.
"ObamaCare Enrollment Numbers." Obamacare Facts. N.p., n.d. Web. 21
"Poverty Guidelines for 20152016." Poverty Guidelines. N.p., 6 July 2015. Web. 22 Oct.
2015.