Medicaid and the playground of politics

Columns

Discussion

July 19, 2008

By Fredie Carmichael / editor The Meridian Star Sat Jul 19, 2008, 11:16 PM CDT

Picture this childhood playground scene: Little Billy sits in the sandbox with his friends. With his legs crossed, scowl on his face, he says: "I'm not playing with them until they play fair. And until then, we're not only not playing, but we're also gonna tell everyone how ugly their momma is."

At the other end of the playground, Little Haley stands on the merry-go-round. With his chest poked out, fingers pointing down, he tells his friends: "Our rules are fair and this is the ONLY way we're going to play. I guess we'll all have to suffer until they finally see how wrong they are."

Meanwhile, all the little kids who want to play kick-ball are left twiddling their thumbs. What began as a time to play, have fun and enjoy an outside activity has become a stalemate between two playground bullies.

This, in a sarcastically over-simplified way, is what's going on between Gov. Haley Barbour and House Speaker Billy McCoy over the state's Medicaid funding. And until it's resolved, those left suffering are the very people — the neediest of our population — who stand to suffer the most.

It's a politician’s most over-used ploy: when in doubt, talk above them. We see it happen all the time. If there's a confusing issue, and Medicaid funding is most certainly that, then political games can be played. The reason: the facts can be distorted and the real truth hard to discern; voters are left wondering, "who do I believe."

Don't let anyone fool you, the issue of Medicaid funding has become an "us" versus "them" or, more accurately, Republicans versus Democrats.

You're either "fer us" or "agin us."

The governor, however, certainly has the advantage in this battle.

First off, the Senate overwhelmingly, and on a bipartisan vote, passed Senate Bill 2013, which is a funding mechanism backed by the Mississippi Hospital Association that will help solve the $90 million funding gap and provide a solution to the program. It’s essentially a revamped version of the way the funding worked years before the federal government disallowed a portion of the way it was set up.

The governor has called lawmakers back to the capitol for an Aug. 4 special session for the House to reconsider the bill, one that's fair and is most certainly a best-case option at this point for the state. Simply put, it just makes sense.

Speaker McCoy likes to talk about the cigarette tax and how it should be used as a funding mechanism for the $90 million hole Medicaid currently finds itself in. He's right — it's a great idea, especially down the road. The problem: it won't happen this year. His own House-mates couldn't even pass a cigarette tax. So does he really think he would have the votes to override a presumable Haley veto? Of course not. He's playing politics.

This is, at its core, nothing more than an attempt to make Haley and the GOP look bad with a presidential race and congressional race on the horizon. They want him to be stuck with making these cuts. Then, when grandma can’t get the healthcare she needs, they’ll point the finger at him.

To be fair, the governor isn't blameless in this. But he was certainly much smarter in his approach to the fight.

The state has yet to make a Disproportionate Share Hospital, or DSH, payment or Upper Payment Limit, or UPL, payment to hospitals for 2007. Locally, for Rush Hospital, that's more than $5 million the healthcare provider is eagerly awaiting from the state, according to hospital officials.

This week, the governor said he hopes to get those hospitals some of that money before the summer ends so hospitals can "get a little relief." Some hospital officials don't think the timing is a coincidence … and it’s much easier to back a plan when you’re hurting for money.

Still, they support SB 2013 because it’s the best option and it makes sense.

Politically, the governor comes out looking much better in this fight. If he's playing politics with this issue, why would he offer to tax the very health care community who put him in office? It's a tough argument for the House leadership to make. But I doubt that will stop them from making it … or scaring you into thinking that your healthcare costs are going to skyrocket due to this bill.

At the end of the day, this shouldn't be about politics, it should be about solving a problem with sound policy, something Senate Bill 2013 accomplishes. Sen. Hob Bryan, D-Amory, is far from a political ally of Haley Barbour’s. And he’s not a conservative Democrat; he’s liberal.

But he also realizes common sense overrides politics.

The political posturing is “not in the best interest of the taxpayer,” Bryan said.

So, if this really were a playground fight between two playground bullies, I sure hope Little Billy would relent this time. Maybe he’s been right in the past. And maybe he’s tired of Little Haley stepping on him in the past. Maybe he thinks Little Haley could be nicer to him and his friends. While those may be valid points, I hope Little Billy would realize this is not the time to fight those battles.

If this battle continues, everyone in the playground will suffer.

Fredie Carmichael is editor of The Meridian Star. E-mail him at fcarmichael@themeridianstar.com.

Text Only

Columns

European travel tips
If there is a condom machine in the restaurant’s restroom, you have made a mistake in your choice of dining establishment.
That is one of my rules for dining in Europe. Unfortunately, if you are already in the restroom, it’s probably too late.

February 8, 2012
Military cuts and BRAC to challenge leaders
February 6, 2012
Let ms.gov know what's going on
The state's newly relaunched web portal, www.ms.gov, is a great idea. According to a news release this is the first major update for the site in more than a decade.

February 5, 2012
Today’s need — $3,893.76
Today’s need concerns eleven circumstances. The first need is a couple in their forties working all the hours they can. The husband’s paycheck has been running low because he has not been receiving the hours at work he was accustomed to. With $274.38 we can keep their utilities form being cut off.

February 4, 2012
Killer, the cat ...
February 3, 2012
Counsel fight remains a political cold war
The ongoing legislative battle over the so-called “outside counsel” or contingency fee law remains a political cold war between the state’s trial lawyers and the state’s business and medical interests – and it’s a story that has two sides.

February 1, 2012
Travel technology
After leaving the Trapani Salt Flats on the western coast of Sicily on a late November afternoon, I maneuvered our vehicle down yet another remote, unmarked dirt road and passed dozens of vacant houses. No one was on the streets. It had been 10 minutes since we had seen another car. Sunlight was at a minimum. We had been warned several times about remote areas of Sicily.

February 1, 2012
Restoration spurs renewal in East Miss.
Choctaw tribal chief Phyliss Anderson restored and reopened Phillip M’s at the Pearl River Resort last week. She also signaled her intent to renew the economic policies so successfully implemented by the restaurant’s namesake.
"Under the visionary leadership of our late Chief Phillip Martin, our tribe realized great progress and today I am proud to honor his legacy with the re-opening of Phillip M's," said Anderson, flanked by members of Martin's family.

January 30, 2012
Today’s need — $2,393.77
1 JOHN 3:17 - “If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has not pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?” Praise belongs to God as every need in 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 has been met. Thanks to everyone who has generously given over the years to change lives physically, financially, and spiritually. Each week I stand in awe of God as I witness God’s provision in our lives.

Today’s need concerns six circumstances. The first need is a lady in her fifties just released from the hospital. Her sister she was living with died a few months ago. She is trying as hard as she can to pay the mortgage to keep her sister’s house. She has been able to maintain all her expenses so far but does not have money for her prescriptions. These prescriptions are necessary to keep her physically well. With $300.00 we can provide her much needed medications.

January 29, 2012
Gratitude
As I sit down to write this first column in a wrap-up series of the six-month, 17-country, two-continent research tour through Europe, I am struck by an overwhelming feeling of gratitude.
I am grateful to the employees and managers of our restaurants who did an excellent job keeping the wheels in motion during my absence. I am grateful to our customers who helped make 2011 a record sales year for the company. I am grateful to longtime friends, new friends, and friends we have never even met for their prayers of support and well wishes. I am also grateful to the friends we met along the way.

January 25, 2012
More Columns Headlines

Columns

Search Results

Discussion

Medicaid and the playground of politics

Site Map

Contact Us