Every Indiana citizen affected by ‘Obamacare’

National health care bill could have negative repercussions on Hoosiers

By State Sen. Dennis Kruse (R-Auburn)

INDIANA STATEHOUSE – More taxes and government spending? Rationed care? Job cuts? Higher premiums?

All of the above could happen in Indiana when the historic national health care plan goes into effect. Where Hoosiers are concerned, many may find President Barack Obama’s cure to the nation’s health care ills worse than the disease.

Indiana stands to see many negative repercussions if the historic law remains unaltered:

n Obamacare will mean more taxes and more government spending during a deep recession. Numbers from the independent Congressional Budget Office (CBO) show the expanded federal role in health care creates a $940 billion pricetag over 10 years. Indiana’s share is an estimated $2.4 billion for the same 10-year time period;

n Indiana Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) Secretary Anne Murphy has already identified a $25 million immediate cost to the state in the form of lost Medicaid prescription drug rebates for fiscal year 2011. FSSA’s analysis shows this cost increasing each year, eventually costing the state $400 million over the next ten years; and

n An estimated 500,000 additional Hoosiers would qualify for Medicaid, exploding the cost to the state for delivering services under the program. Figures show one in four Hoosiers would be on public assistance under the plan.

Meanwhile, the Healthy Indiana Plan (HIP) would be eliminated as the new federal rules would force Indiana’s 45,000 families who are currently covered into the Medicaid fee-for-service model, losing the cost savings and quality care advantages of our consumer-driven health care.