If the left wants to talk about Obamacare and how the law helps individuals with preexisting conditions, they might want to learn about Alexander Davis and his mother, Anastasia. They are but two of the people being harmed by that law’s flawed sense of priorities.
Over a decade ago, I wrote that “by extending health coverage to those who should be able to work, Obamacare could jeopardize the coverage of disabled populations.” That’s exactly what has happened in Indiana in recent weeks. Other states should take note because their vulnerable people could suffer the same harm.
‘Accounting Error’ Creates Fiscal Chaos…
The problems in Indiana started when Medicaid spending projections for the current budget exceeded the original target by $1 billion. Call it a “forecasting error,” call it (as one Democrat lawmaker did) an “accounting error,” but $1 billion represents real money.
When the error was discovered in December, the state budget director said the cost overrun presaged difficult choices about rising Medicaid spending: “This amount of growth cannot continue, so there’s going to be some tough decisions ahead.” Several weeks later, Alexander and Anastasia Davis found out who would bear the cost of those tough decisions — they would.
…And Medical Chaos Follows
The Indianapolis Star picked up the story in January:
Fifteen-year-old Alexander Davis is physically dependent on other people for all of his needs, from getting in and out of his power chair to sipping a drink. But the straight-A Tipton student, who has spinal muscular
