To the Editor:

A recent letter suggested that its author does not believe in economic projections. He may not realize “estimates” of future economic outcomes is a vital part of planning that any organization — whether private businesses or governments — would have to do to make wise decisions. Or it may just be that he is not happy that overwhelming data support the basic tenant that any state that expands Medicaid under the present Affordable Care Act is going to reap huge economic benefits for its citizens.  

Not only do both of the studies that he wrote about about (REMI and George Washington University study) show huge economic benefits for North Carolina, but there have been 32 other studies in 26 states that have analyzed the anticipated impact of the Affordable Care Act Medicaid expansion on state and local economies. These studies used at least six different economic impact models, all of which have been examined by experts in the field for accuracy. Every single one of these studies has shown that states that expand Medicaid would reap tens of billions of dollars in economic growth (Gross State Product), tens of thousands of new jobs created both in health care and in other areas, and millions of dollars of increased state revenues (https://kaiserfamilyfoundation.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/8522-the-role-of-medicaid-in-state-economies-looking-forward-to-the-aca.pdf).

I could not find a single study that looked at the economics on a state level under the current Affordable Care Act that did not show huge economic benefits to those states that expand Medicaid.  I need someone to show me the studies that show no economic growth for states that expand Medicaid.

Dr. Ed Morris

Franklin