I have been an insurance broker in the state of Illinois for the past 15 years and have seen firsthand what happens when an overburdened, tax-funded, government-controlled entitlement program like Medicaid is offered to everyone, regardless of income. . Governor Rod Blagoyevich (D) signed into law several recent programs to “expand” Medicaid entitlements in our state. In fact, our state was the first to expand these Medicaid-entitlement programs to include the “All Kids Covered” plan, the “Moms & Babies” plan, and the “Family Care” plan.

These entitlement programs not only provide free health insurance coverage to all low-income women who are currently pregnant (“Moms and Babies”) and to all children, here legally or otherwise (“All Children Covered”) , but also provide free health insurance to all low-income mothers of children who are insured under the “All Kids Covered” (“Family Care”) program. One doesn’t need an actuarial degree to quickly conclude that these types of entitlement expansion programs simply can’t work because the “All Kids Covered” program is available to any child regardless of household income levels (a small premium based on on a scale if you are above the poverty level). So literally “every kid” can sign up. This is very concerning, because the state of Illinois currently has $1.5 billion (yes, that’s BILLIONS) behind in paying claims to physicians who have provided treatment to Medicaid recipients. In addition, claims filed by unpaid professionals have a “potential increased liability” of $81 million in interest due to late payments over the past 8 years.

Yet we still hear Democrats push for further expansion of federal and state Medicaid entitlement programs. In fact, Illinois was lauded as the “flagship” state to be followed by all others in expanding Medicaid entitlement programs. If this is the model for everyone else to follow, then God help us all, or at least those of us who actually fund the Medicaid system through our hard-earned tax dollars. Important decisions, like expanding the Medicaid system to all children, regardless of their actual need, simply cannot be made entirely on emotion! Prudent decision makers must weigh the DESIRE to help all of humanity against the fiscal REALITY.

There simply isn’t enough money to provide such irresponsible expansions of the Medicaid program. This is the express reason why President Bush vetoed the expansion of the SCHIP program that was irresponsibly promoted by the Democratic Party. The conservative side of the House shares the same concern for those in need. However, this side of the House wants to help those who deserve such rights (for example, legal residents of this country who actually qualify during a legitimate needs assessment).

Expanding these entitlement programs to anyone else is a well-intentioned but fiscally irresponsible act. One that will ultimately cripple the already overburdened Medicaid system. This will be especially true as Baby Boomers begin to enter the field of assisted living without long-term care coverage to help shoulder the burden of the ever-increasing cost of professional care that will undoubtedly be necessary for this gigantic population of new seniors.

All this can be avoided by transferring the risk where it belongs. Namely, the private health insurance industry. This is where the money is, and always has been, to shoulder this burden. But this paradigm shift will require personal responsibility, a concept rarely talked about during the current Democratic presidential election. Instead, we hear how broken our country is and how the presumptive current Democratic presidential candidate is going to “change” everything for the better.

If changing everything for the better is the way your party has handled things here in your home state, then this is a recipe for disaster. One that will not only cripple current Medicaid entitlement programs, but may very well cripple the future of all other desperately needed entitlement programs designed to protect those who are actually serving those services.

Those of us who need health insurance have many options to choose from. These options are very affordable, especially when taking advantage of the recently expanded tax incentives given to those with HSA-qualified HDHPs. Even if one cannot qualify for the HDHP option listed above due to underwriting restrictions, there are now many other options available to those who have become “uninsurable” in the individual health insurance market.

These options include the following:

1.) Employer or small group sponsored health insurance that contains the very important “Guaranteed Insurability” clause.
2.) State insurance risk group coverage provided under HIPAA
3.) HIPAA certified “defined benefit” health insurance policies issued individually to anyone, regardless of medical history: (sbisvcs.com/guarantee_issue.htm)

An integral part of making fiscally sound decisions means you should explore ALL of your options before leaning on a Medicaid system that is already overburdened by those who provide services and, more recently, by those who don’t deserve it: http ://www.mysuburbanlife. com/broadview/editorials/x1874998363/Illinois-must-fix-Medicaid-problems

That’s why it’s always wise to check with a reputable and knowledgeable health insurance broker (not a captive agent who can only offer products from one company). It doesn’t cost a dime more to buy your health insurance using a broker than it does to buy it blindly online. That said, why not take advantage of the wealth of knowledge accumulated by insurance brokers throughout this great country of ours? Most of them truly have your best interests in mind and will go to great lengths to guide you in the right direction to properly secure your financial future. This is all the more important now, as one can only assume that the quality of care (eg, ordering expensive follow-up tests to properly diagnose a condition) a Medicaid recipient receives must inherently suffer. Simply due to the fact that the doctor knows in advance that payment for services already rendered is in arrears and payment for future services will never come!