Beshear slaps Bevin, defends Medicaid expansion

Gov. Steve Beshear, in a statement Tuesday Morning, ripped Republican gubernatorial nominee Matt Bevin for suggesting that he would save money by seeking a waiver from the federal government to revamp Kentucky's Medicaid expansion.

Bevin has wavered on how he would attack the the expansion while continually saying that Kentucky can't afford it. On some days, he says he would do away with the expansion, on others he has called for seeking a federal waiver to redesign the system and on one occasion, he said he would "tweak" it.

But in a statement released by the Kentucky Democratic Party, Beshear said that the system his administration has designed is the most cost effective and helps more people in Kentucky, one of the sickest state's in the country.

The expansion was done as part of the Affordable Care Act and for now, the federal government is picking up the full tab for the expansion, which has given health insurance coverage to about 400,000 people.

By the year 2020, Kentucky will be required to pay 10 percent of the cost of the expansion. An actuarial study commissioned by Beshear found that the program would pay for itself through 2020 but would go into the red in 2021.

Democrat Jack Conway has defended the expansion, saying that as the state's economy improves and more jobs are created, the expansion won't be as costly as expected.

Independent Drew Curtis has also supported the Medicaid expansion, saying that Bevin's plan to seek a waiver to develop a new program won't work.

Here is Beshear's full statement:

"One constant in Mr. Bevin's ever-changing position on Kentucky's Medicaid Expansion is his consistent lack of understanding of health care. Several of his most recent statements are misleading. Regardless of the model a state chooses to cover its Medicaid Expansion Population, the state share remains the same – no more than 10 percent in 2020.

"By suggesting a repeal of the expansion of Medicaid and choosing other "plans" or waivers, Mr. Bevin should identify who among our newly insured Kentuckians he believe should lose health care coverage. Which hospitals, physicians and other providers does he think should bear the brunt of a return to increased uncompensated care?

"The Congressional Budget Office has found that these 1115 expansion substitutes Mr. Bevin touts will likely cost more than the expansion as we have implemented it in Kentucky. This is a short-sighted view for the future of our Commonwealth, which is the 47th sickest state in the country. Kentucky has a plan in place that is working. Last week's Census report showed Kentucky with the biggest drop in the uninsured rate in the country from 2013 to 2014. During this timeframe, 16,000 children gained health insurance.

"We must continue to improve the health of our population because of the direct link to our economic future because better health, especially for our workforce, has tangible positive impacts – fewer sick days, more production and a higher quality of life for our citizens. Mr. Bevin doesn't seem to understand this connection"