Rand Paul wants people to pay for the coverage they receive through Medicaid
Senator Rand Paul has announced that he will aid Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin in acquiring a waiver from the federal government to allow the state to charge Medicaid recipients for the health insurance coverage they receive. Senator Paul suggests that the Medicaid program is a financial burden, and if consumers do not pay for the coverage they receive the program may no longer be viable. The senator wants the state to move away from the Medicaid program, helping people gain coverage through jobs rather through the government.
Medicaid may be an expensive problem for Kentucky
Rand Paul is campaigning to maintain his seat on the Senate and will be visiting 18 cities in Kentucky to discuss his concerns regarding Medicaid. The Senator had been focusing on health care reform in the past, but his attention had been splintered due to his presidential campaign. Now that he is no longer focusing on becoming president, he is beginning to set his sights on health insurance issues that he believes are becoming cripplingly expensive.
State may look to close its health insurance exchange
There may be major changes to the state’s health care environment in the near future. Former Governor Steve Beshear had been concerned that state officials would fight to close the state’s insurance exchange, called Kynect. The exchange has made it possible for many people to gain insurance coverage. In order to ensure that consumers maintain this access to coverage, Beshear launched Save Kentucky Healthcare. The organization is dedicated to educating consumers on the importance of Kynect and how they can use it to find the coverage they need.
Medicaid coverage may become less accessible if the program is significantly changed
Closing the insurance exchange is not the only problem that the state faces, of course. Charging consumers for their participation in the Medicaid program may mean that these people lose their insurance coverage. Many people have complained about the high cost of insurance coverage in the private market and consumer advocacy groups have expressed concern that changes to the Medicaid program will make it impossible for some consumers to acquire the coverage they need.