Possible Outcomes of Tuesday’s Election

Until the results are known from next week’s election, implementation of the Affordable Care Act hangs in the balance. Since the SCOTUS’ June ruling on the Affordable Care Act, states have been tasked with making a decision regarding their plans for a Medicaid expansion. So far, only 19 states have finalized their decision with 13 planning to expand and 6 planning not to expand.  The presidential elections will likely change that dynamic as well.

Until the results are known from next week’s election, implementation of the Affordable Care Act hangs in the balance. Since the SCOTUS’ June ruling on the Affordable Care Act, states have been tasked with making a decision regarding their plans for a Medicaid expansion. So far, only 19 states have finalized their decision with 13 planning to expand and 6 planning not to expand.  The presidential elections will likely change that dynamic as well.

The Texas Tribune reports on a possible situation in the state where an expansion may be forced against the Governor’s will. Governor Rick Perry has made public Texas’ intentions to opt-out of the Medicaid expansion. However, some of the state’s largest counties may join together and force the expansion as they have the most to gain from an expansion. It’s believed that these counties may try to find the money – less than $1 billion annually – from somewhere outside of the state budget.

No matter who wins Tuesday’s election, the debate over health care reform and implementation is sure to continue. The Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease wants to ensure that any solutions brought to the table provide mechanisms to ensure that prevention of chronic disease is accessible and a priority. We will keep all of our partners updated on developments as they occur.