Dave Domina Urges Medicaid Expansion & Wellness Act

Democratic Senate candidate Dave Domina on Monday urged the Legislature to enact legislation to expand Medicaid coverage to 54,000 Nebraskans who do not have health care coverage now.

The Legislature will begin debate Tuesday on LB887, known as the Nebraska Wellness Act.

An earlier Medicaid expansion proposal was trapped by a legislative filibuster last year.

LB887 will “reach a group greatly in need of health care coverage,” Domina said, and provide major benefits for the state.

Failure to enact the proposal will deprive the state of major federal funding, benefits and potential job creation, he said.

“This law is so very likely to promote and improve the quality of health and availability of care,” Domina said.

“This law will take the burden of emergency room primary care costs off taxpayers, promote wellness, reward personal responsibility, create jobs and provide a real win for Nebraska,” he said.

The bill would extend health care coverage to a pool largely composed of working adults who cannot afford to buy private insurance.

Debate on the measure is scheduled to begin Tuesday afternoon.

 Press Release – March 17, 2014

During a phone call with supporters and interested persons this morning, Dave Domina announced that he will urge Senators in the Nebraska Legislature to pass LB 887, the Nebraska Wellness Act. The proposed law will extend medicaid benefits to approximately 3% of Nebraska’s population and reach a group greatly in need of healthcare coverage.

Domina noted failure to enact the proposed law will deprive the State of major funding, benefits and potential job creation.

“I think the evidence establishes, with little room for doubt, that the proposed new law will provide major benefits with nearly no detriments for the State”, Domina said. He cited these advantages of the law:

• 54,000 uninsured Nebraskans will get healthcare coverage
• Most new covered persons work in low paying jobs that do not offer health care coverage
• Medicaid will expand to cover some persons; others will get help to buy private plans
• The law promotes personal health responsibility, and wellness programs
• Estimates are 500 Nebraska lives will be saved annually
• Prevention, including early cancer screening will increase, saving lives and money
• Much needed mental and behavioral health services will become available
• $2 billion will return to Nebraska from federal program funds otherwise lost to Nebraska
• Prospects are good for new quality medical jobs in Nebraska

“It is hard to find evidence based objections to LB 887,” Domina said. “This law is so very likely to promote and improve the quality of health, and availability of care. It will create permanent jobs in numbers far beyond those associated with controversial projects which are temporary job creators at best. This law will take the burden of emergency room primary care costs off taxpayers, promote wellness, reward personal responsibility, create jobs and provide a real win for Nebraska.”