By Sharon Ward, Third and State

There is growing bipartisan agreement that the optional expansion of Medicaid provided by the Affordable Care Act is too good an opportunity to pass up.

This month, the Governors of Arizona and North Dakota, both Republicans, announced their intention to opt-in to the Medicaid expansion, joining their counterparts in Nevada and New Mexico. To date, 14 states have decided to expand Medicaid in 2014, and another seven are leaning toward expansion. Pennsylvania remains among the 21 undecided states.

Support for Medicaid Expansion Growing
Here’s what Arizona Governor Jan Brewer had to say about Medicaid:

By agreeing to expand our Medicaid program just slightly beyond what Arizona voters have twice mandated, we will:

• Protect rural and safety-net hospitals from being pushed to the brink by their
growing costs in caring for the uninsured;
• Take advantage of the enormous economic benefits — inject $2 billion into our
economy — save and create thousands of jobs; and,
• Provide health care to hundreds of thousands of low-income Arizonans.

Saying ‘no’ to this plan would not save these federal dollars from being spent or direct them to deficit reduction. No, Arizona’s tax dollars would simply be passed to another state — generating jobs and providing health care for citizens in California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico or any other expansion state … With this move, we will secure a federal revenue stream to cover the costs of the uninsured who already show up in our doctor’s offices and emergency rooms … Weigh the evidence and do the math. With the realities facing us, taking advantage of this federal assistance is the strategic way to reduce Medicaid pressure on the State budget. We can prevent health care expenses from eroding core services such as education and public safety, and improve Arizona’s ability to compete in the years ahead. I’m committed to doing this, and I want you on my side. Let’s work together in an atmosphere of respect and do what is BEST for Arizona.

For Pennsylvania, the expansion of Medicaid is projected to bring in $17 billion in new federal investments by 2019, while expanding coverage to between 482,000 and 683,000 uninsured adults.

When Governor Corbett gives his budget address on February 5, he will offer a glimpse into the state’s plans to take advantage of this opportunity. Opting-in will create jobs, strengthen our health care system and provide health coverage to working parents, veterans, and seniors.

Governor Corbett and the Pennsylvania General Assembly should consider the benefits and savings that come with a Pennsylvania Medicaid expansion as well as the price of forgoing this opportunity — fewer jobs, a weakened health care delivery system and hardworking people without affordable insurance.