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Round of applause for Sen. Gordon Smith (R-OR) for leading the charge and passing a budget amendment shielding Medicaid—which provides health care for low-income mothers, children, and seniors—from cuts, at least for the time being.
I’ve talked about this before, but here are the quick facts: Medicaid’s costs aren’t rising any more rapidly than health care in general, it’s one of the most cost-effective ways to cover some of the most vulnerable Americans, and it’s become more expensive over the past few years mostly due to expanded enrollment—thanks to the awful job market—and not because of “inefficiency” or “waste.” Again, kudos to all those Republicans who voted sensibly here.
