Health outcomes do matter

As recounted by Economist Roger Smith (Jan. 21), the U.S. lags behind other G7 nations in many metrics of national wealth: poverty, incarceration rates, infant mortality, academic performance, homelessness, and … health outcomes.

Why, given our dismal standing among developed nations, is the Montana legislature even considering eliminating expanded Medicaid? Yes, the sunset date for this program is 2025, and the hearing for HB 245 (continue Medicaid Expansion) was positively received by the House Human Services committee.

This program serves 76,000 low-income Montanans and provides Montanan taxpayers significant savings, as the federal government picks up about 90% of the tab.

Yet, Senator Carl Glimm has sponsored SB 62 to phase out Medicaid expansion, perhaps echoing a disingenuous perspective by Senate Majority leader Tom McGillvray, who noted "When I was younger, the novel idea for health insurance was get a job."

Note to these gentlemen: 98% of Medicaid recipients are either working, care taking, in school, retired, or ill/disabled. Yet, complaints about the costs of Medicare and Medicaid typically come from those advocating the loudest for tax breaks for the wealthy.

Dr. Smith is right. Our lack of investment in human capital will continue to result in our poor showing among our G7 brethren. Legislators, are you paying attention?

– Caryl Cox, Polson