Columbia, SC

According to the article in the Feb. 20 State, “GOP kills attempts to grow Medicaid,” House Republicans blocked the first try at health-care expansion, saying it was too expensive. Now mind you, the House members are making their per diem while debating this program.

Rep. Harry Ott, D-Calhoun, does recognize that the ones who need it most would be in a no-man’s land.

Do they know what too expensive is? My single granddaughter is 19 years old, attending tech school and working part-time as a waitress. Recently, she applied for Medicaid and was told that since she had no child, she was not eligible. So does this mean if she were to have a child, she could get all her doctor bills, hospital delivery, ancillary charges and other medical bills paid, plus assistance for her and the child? Now multiply that by 185,000, the number of childless S.C. adults in peril of not being covered, who could opt to have a child to be eligible. Would that be cheaper?

Plus, if South Carolina decides not to accept federal aid for this program, we still will be paying a share to help the states that do. Still cheaper?

Dee Martin

Cayce