Candidates Must Support Medicaid Expansion in Nebraska

It is estimated that 54,000 citizens of Nebraska are not getting the medical care they deserve because our state refuses to join the federally funded Medicaid Expansion program in the Affordable Care Act. The program is fully funded for the first three years and is funded at a minimum of 90% after that. Our current governor thinks we can't afford it, but clearly it is not a money issue when millions of dollars could infuse our economy and create new jobs while providing needed medical care at the earliest stages of a problem rather than crisis control in an emergency room. Withholding this coverage is fiscally irresponsible and morally corrupt. The opposition to this program “has placed the lives of hundreds of working Nebraskans at risk and jeopardized the health of thousands more” said the Nebraska Hospital Association. (Washington Post, March, 19, 2014) I’m not going to stand by and let my fellow Nebraskans die for lack of access to medical care when the program they need is ready and waiting to help if only the Unicameral and the governor had the will to act. A recent effort to move forward with a very common sense implementation failed to progress in the Unicameral by only 12 votes. Please help by signing this petition today. We must put pressure on those who are running for office this election cycle. We can’t let this type of narrow minded politics continue in our state.