Legislature should approve Medicaid money: Editorial | NOLA.com
The nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Office's analysis found that Louisiana would save between $532 million and $544 million over the first five years of the expansion. The fiscal office estimates the state would save between $185 million and $510 million over 10 years.
The Department of Health and Hospitals reported recently that the state would save as much as $367.5 million over the first 10 years of the expansion under the Affordable Care Act. DHH's worst-case scenario is that Louisiana would have to spend $1.52 billion to $1.71 billion over a decade.
Even if that turns out to be the case, it is worth it to get almost $16 billion in new funding for health care. Yet ministers, retirees, health clinic operators and many others have pleaded with Gov. Jindal and legislators to take the money to no avail.
