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Study: Medicaid Expansion Could Improve Pennsylvania's Economic Health

By Pat Loeb

HARRISBURG, Pa. (CBS) - The Pennsylvania Hospital Association is trying to persuade Governor Corbett to expand Medicaid in the state with an argument they hope will appeal to him, the economic development advantages of the program.

The Association paid the Rand Corporation to study the impact of the Medicaid expansion encouraged by the Affordable Care Act.

Delaware Valley Healthcare Council spokesperson says they found that an expansion, fully paid for by the federal government for the first three years, would bring in more than $2 billion in reimbursements.

"This new money will generate economic activity of $3.2billion to $3.6billion each year and as a result of that we're looking at 35,000 to 39,000 jobs," says Priscilla Koutsouradis.

She says, more important, 350,000 more Pennsylvanians would have health coverage.
A spokesman for the governor, Christine Cronkright, says he'll study the report but is not yet convinced.

"The governor is still very concerned about expanding Medicaid in Pennsylvania without reforms," says Cronkright.

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