David Scrase doesn’t “get it” on Medicaid issues

New Mexico’s Health Department recently released data indicating that 43 percent of the State’s population was on Medicaid. We commented on that here. Those comments were reflected in an Albuquerque Journal editorial that  concludes with the statement, “we need to find a way to kick-start and nourish a private sector that employs people and provides benefits including good health insurance.”

We agree with the Journal 100%. Not surprisingly, Gov. Lujan Grisham’s top health care staffers either don’t understand the argument or willingly ignore the point. David Scrase and Nicole Comeaux spend 600 plus words talking about how important Medicaid is and how it will help solve New Mexico’s poverty issues.

The problem is, of course, that welfare programs like Medicaid (even though New Mexico gets $4.76 from the feds for every dollar it spends) don’t actually do anything to bring people out of poverty. Rather, the growth of a strong private sector economy, improved educational outcomes, and broader economic prosperity do that.

Considering how poorly Scrase has handled the COVID health crisis this year, it is no surprise he doesn’t understand the economic problem with New Mexico’s bloated Medicaid rolls.