House Dems on Medicaid expansion: Saying "no" is not good enough

In a press release issued Saturday, House Democratic Caucus Leader Bobby Moak (D-Bogue Chitto) made the following statement:

Mississippi House Democratic Caucus Press

Contact:          Rep. Bobby Moak

                        (601) 359-2860

Impact of Affordable Care Act on Medicaid eligibility for Mississippi children

June 30, 2012

Jackson, MS- Moments after the United States Supreme Court upheld the Affordable Care Act, Mississippi Republicans promised to block any effort to extend Medicaid coverage to Mississippi children.

“Saying ‘no’ is simply not good enough,” said House Democratic Caucus Leader Bobby Moak (D-Bogue Chitto).  “When our young people can’t access doctors it limits their educational opportunities and prevents them from achieving the level of success they deserve.”

Moak added, “The new Medicaid options available to children under the Affordable Care Act will come at zero cost to Mississippi taxpayers for the next three years.  Refusing these additional medical options for our most vulnerable citizens would be a horrible black eye for our state.”    

Moak added, “In light of yesterday’s ruling, the legislature should act quickly to make sure that all qualified Mississippi children receive the same Medicaid options that are now available throughout the country.  We cannot allow Republican leadership to wage a partisan war against Washington on the backs of Mississippi kids.”

“To play childhood education against adequate healthcare is not leadership, it’s political theatre. We are charged as elected officials with making the best decisions for all our citizens and we owe them the sweat equity to work through challenging problems that confront our state,” Moak said.

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