Disgusting and unsustainable:
In Denver, 2½ times as many people enrolled in the taxpayer-funded Medicaid program from October through the first quarter of 2014 as those who signed up for private insurance through the state exchange, state figures show.
And in Colorado and nationwide, Medicaid enrollments outpace private insurance registrants.
Colorado ranked 11th in the nation of states with the highest percentage of Medicaid enrollments compared with private insurance subscribers through marketplaces as of the end of February, a Denver Post analysis of federal numbers shows.
State Sen. Kent Lambert, a Colorado Springs Republican who serves on the Joint Budget Committee, said the Medicaid figures show that the Affordable Care Act was more about expanding government-funded health care than getting more people covered by private health insurance.
"It's a huge burden on taxpayers," Lambert said. "Colorado made a decision, the governor made a decision under Democratic leadership to expand the criteria for Medicaid to a much larger population, and the federal government also expanded Medicaid."
So we forced lots of folks onto a taxpayer-funded program, that is already overburdened. Obviously that means taxes will have to go up, to meet the new demands.
Nice program, Mr. President.
Even those that were willing to pay for their own coverage, were surprised to learn they get it for free:
Denver resident Patrick Jones tried to sign up for private health insurance through the state exchange after quitting his job to return to get more work training, but he said he was directed to Medicaid.
"I was shocked," said the 27-year-old who left an Internet marketing job to learn programming through an online course. "I was ready to pay for insurance, and I was shocked when I was told you are going to receive Medicaid."
But Jones is happy because he gets insurance coverage with no monthly premium at least until he starts a new job and gets employer coverage or makes too much to qualify for Medicaid.
