Mark Brown participated in our June 28, 2017 “Stop Trumpcare” Protest in Fremont, cosponsored by Sandusky Citizens for Affordable Healthcare.

Health Care = Jobs!

By Mark Brown, Fremont, OH

I want to write about Expanded Medicaid and how it means more money for you if you want money. I’ll write about what happened to me personally first, then how Expansion has positively affected the economy of Fremont, Ohio, as an example of many areas in the nation. After that, I’ll discuss the how some legislators want to stop putting money into our local economy.

I’m employed full time, but still qualify for Expanded Medicaid. I was recently diagnosed with a disorder that prevented my blood from clotting. In simplest terms, my immune system was eating the things that clot my blood if needed. I was in the hospital from Wednesday night, June 21 until Saturday afternoon, June 24.

In that time, not only did I employ multiple physicians and nurses, but also four different laboratory technicians, a compounding pharmacist, multiple food service personnel, multiple office workers and custodians and at least one gift shop attendant. That’s who I know about.

A shout out to those friends and relations who work at the various stores, factories and services where those employees will spend their pay.

Before Expansion, people in my income level didn’t go to the doctor until they had no other choice. It took us away from earning the money we need to keep our houses and feed ourselves and it cost money we still don’t have. Because we didn’t go to the doctor often until it was very late, more patients died than should have, and the ones that survived often still just plain didn’t have the money to pay. Reimbursement to the E.R.s we’d end up in, if we went at all, was about 55% of the bill.

Since Expansion, not only have reimbursements gone up to over 90%, but people are seeking treatment sooner and more often. Healthcare systems now have cash to build and upgrade their facilities and have been doing so. Of the six or seven major construction projects in my hometown of Fremont, Ohio, since Medicaid Expansion, four of them have been healthcare facilities.

Construction means jobs, and those new facilities aren’t going to clean themselves, the food isn’t going to cook itself, the supplies aren’t going to manufacture, order and distribute themselves, and the paperwork involved isn’t going to complete and file itself.

The Ohio House and Senate, for reasons I don’t understand, have passed legislation freezing the Medicaid Expansion. Governor Kasich has expressed a desire to veto this legislation, possibly because he’s noticed all this construction going on. More likely, because he’s a decent human being. If you call his office at 614-466-3555, your call will be recorded, and it will be almost like a vote on the issue, except you can do it from your phone.