For those of us in favor of making health insurance accessible to as many people as possible, Gov. Bill Walker's election was especially exciting. Expanding Medicaid to cover an additional 42,000 Alaskans was a central promise of his gubernatorial campaign, a campaign that netted him more than 4,600 votes over former Gov. Sean Parnell. Political mandates have been claimed with much less of a victory. When will that promise be fulfilled?
To be fair, this initial delay of Medicaid expansion is due to the governor's willingness to attempt to work with the Legislature. The governor introduced Medicaid expansion on several occasions during the normal legislative session and again at the start of the special sessions.
The partnership between the governor and the Legislature was not to be, however. Despite the fact that 65 percent of Alaskans support Medicaid expansion, despite the fact that expansion is supported in every single legislative district in the state, despite the fact that more than 40,000 people who are unlucky enough to make just enough money to be off the federal poverty line but cannot afford health insurance would soon gain access to reliable medical care, Medicaid expansion was not passed.
In the U.S. Congress, support of two-thirds of its members is enough to guarantee passage of a bill. In the Alaska Legislature, the support of two-thirds of the electorate is not even enough to guarantee a floor vote.
It makes no matter. The Legislature worked diligently to block the governor from expanding Medicaid independently by explicitly forbidding him to do so in the appropriations bill. Fortunately for Alaska, that action was unconstitutional. Since the governor retains his full powers to accept federal assistance, affordable health insurance for tens of thousands of Alaskans is a promise he is fully empowered to keep.
I urge the governor to do just that. Politically, expansion is a slam dunk. Since the Legislature already refuses to work with him, there is no need for him to worry about a status quo change on that front. On the other hand, 65 percent of Alaskans will not forget who represented their interests.
Financially, expansion is a no-brainer. The state already pays for the emergency room visits of uninsured Alaskans. With Medicaid expansion, the federal government will pay those costs instead while offering full health insurance. Morally, expansion is required. Good health is good living; delaying or denying 40,000 Alaskans' access to both is unconscionable.
It is time for the will of the people to trump political posturing and legislative gridlock. It is time for Walker to use the powers that are fully vested in him to accept the federal government's funding for Medicaid expansion. It is time for those campaign promises to be fulfilled. It is time.
On behalf of 40,000 Alaskans, Gov. Walker should expand Medicaid and expand it soon.
Esther Kennedy has lived in Alaska since she was 2 years old and is currently serving as an AmeriCorps volunteer in Sitka.
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