Can you help me understand how the refusal of most republican governors to expand Medicaid in their state is affecting people?

Having absolutely no information on what their issues are or what insurance coverage they have…

Home health care is expensive. You’re hiring a skilled worker full time in your own home. Many insurance providers do not cover full time in-home care.

If this person needs full time care, their insurance makes nursing home coverage available. If they opt not to use that coverage, they are free to explore other options out of their own pockets, or search for a plan that provides home health care. Spoiler alert: it’ll be more expensive.

The Affordable Care Act instituted minimum coverage requirements, like preventative care. It did not ensure that everyone’s every preference would be paid for.

According to the OP he served 20 years in the armed forces, so one can assume that he has state medical coverage, aka Medicaid.
I’m trying to understand…would he be in the same position 5 years ago, before the ACA was ever mentioned, as he is now?

Also, any “what if” scenarios are welcome. I just don’t quite understand it. If they refuse to “expand” medicaid, how will people who are currently using it be affected? It implies if you don’t expand, it will remain the same as it is now.

Medicaid doesn’t automagically cover veterans.
Medicaid covers people with low incomes. The military career has no bearing on medicaid.
And Medicaid does not cover “extras” like prescriptions and home health care.

If he’s enrolled in VA health care, the VA meets the minimum requirements of the ACA.
Apparently, VA health care does cover both short and long term home health care for those who are deemed eligible.
http://www.va.gov/healthbenefits/access/home_health_care.asp

* edit – and yes, same position 5 years ago, if nothing else has changed.

Thank you Seek. This is so damn confusing.

I don’t understand how the ACA affected this individual. Any changes shouldn’t even go into effect until Jan 1.

It didn’t. It’s reactionary babbling by people who don’t know what they’re talking about and want someone to blame for their problems.

That was my gut feeling. I just wish I had a better grasp of it all. It’s really confusing!

Well, she also thinks that being a pilot gave him brain cancer… it doesn’t sound like she’s the most critical of thinkers.

Besides… Obama.

S/he should be covered (or not) under the VA medical coverage. Nothing to do with the Affordable Care Act at all.

Here is what she said: ” Valerie, Roger has medicare and tricare for life…both government insurances. They are starting to implement the programs (as of the fiscal year, Oct 1) in preparation of rolling out the program….in fact ALOT of private insurance groups are following suit.”

Shock! Horror! They’re going in business two months early!

This has nothing to do with the fact that Medicaid doesn’t pay for home health care. They never have. This has not changed.

People over a certain age have Medicaid or Medicare. The Republican governors are not expanding Medicaid to those under the normal Medicaid/Medicare age. For example, I qualify for Medicaid but our state will not (as yet) expand the coverage to cover me, so I am SOL. For now. In a couple of years I will be old enough for the standard, old timer’s Medicaid.
I think “she” needs to do more homework on the subject.