Serving the High Plains

Leon Logan: Letter to the Editor

Viewpoint accuracy

questionable

The Albuquerque Journal “Viewpoint” in the June 24 issue of Quay County Sun must have been talking about a different program than what was studied by the New Mexico Chapter of American College of Physicians.

The federal government will pay all the cost of extending Medicaid to the eligible uninsured for the first two years, then drops to 95 percent and then to 90 percent over the next 10 years.

The Urban Institute Report estimates the Affordable Care Act could save New Mexico up to $1.1 billion from 2014 to 2019 when all things are factored in.

The state no longer has to fund the state coverage insurance program, saving $40 million to $60 million.

ACA was estimated to create about 38,000 to 47,000 new jobs. The number of uninsured will drop drastically, the cost of uncompensated care, now paid by state and counties, will go down and will hold down premiums. This does not even mention lives saved and better health for the newly insured.

The “Viewpoint” mentions the need for good paying jobs to reduce Medicaid rolls. The Right To Work law and good wages is an oxymoron.

The same political ideology behind this view also predicted disasters that never happened.

For example, Republicans predicted more would lose insurance than gain; instead there are 16.9 million newly insured.

The predicted “Death Panels” do exist; they are the states that refused to extend Medicaid.

The lives lost, poor health and all the results of poor health in effect are sacrifices to the Conservative Ideology God.

The objectivity and accuracy of the “Viewpoint” is highly questionable.

Leon Logan

Tucumcari

 
 
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