The document discusses deficiencies in the Affordable Care Act related to Medicaid eligibility and funding. It argues that Medicaid eligibility should be expanded to cover more low-income individuals and families. Specifically, it states that the eligibility criteria should be changed to just below the income level of the middle class. It also argues that the government needs to better manage healthcare spending and could generate new funding by legalizing and taxing marijuana, with states required to spend a percentage on Medicaid. This would help increase access to healthcare for low-income individuals.

1. Running head: PROJECT ASSIGNMENT 2 1
Project Assignment 2
Kyla Andre
Alvernia University
HCS 410 Community Health Organization and Administration
Dr. Scott Ballantyne

2. PROJECT ASSIGNMENT 2 2
Abstract
The eligibility for Medicaid needs to expand so more individuals have health care. The
reimbursements for doctors should increase so low income individuals have access to health
care. The Affordable Care Act must increase the amount of money spent on Medicaid. The
government is obligated to manage the money they spend better to reduce useless costs. The
government can gain money from legalizing marijuana to spend on Medicaid.

3. PROJECT ASSIGNMENT 2 3
Project Assignment 2
There are deficiencies within the Affordable Care Act. One of them is the eligibility for
Medicaid. The eligibility for Medicaid needs to be expanded to cover all individuals with low
incomes. States must increase the amount they spend on Medicaid. Thus, low income individuals
would be covered by health insurance through Medicaid.
The current funding for Medicaid is by the state and government. Each state gets paid a
percentage by the government based on per capita income. The current eligibility for Medicaid
is as follows. The individuals must have a residence and U.S. citizenship. The income for
individuals must be within 133% of the federal poverty line. This means “$29,700 for a family of
four in 2011” (Medicaid.gov, 2014). In today’s economy a family of four is lucky if their income
is close to $30,000. Even if a family’s income is above the federal poverty line, there is not
enough money to pay for health care expenses. This is described in the term, “Not poor enough.”
Families have low incomes, but are not eligible for Medicaid because they do not fall in the
133% or below the federal poverty line. This criterion needs to change.
The Affordable Care Act should change the percentage of the federal poverty line that
individuals have to meet in order to receive Medicaid. The percentage should be changed so it is
just below the income of the middle class. All low income individuals would be covered by
Medicaid. The Affordable Care Act would require the government to increase the amount they
pay each state for Medicaid. By increasing the amount of money spent on Medicaid, more
individuals will have access to health care. Currently, there is an issue with access to health care
for low income individuals because the reimbursements by Medicaid are less than other
insurances. Doctors are not treating low income individuals because they get decreased

4. PROJECT ASSIGNMENT 2 4
reimbursement by Medicaid than other insurances. Increasing the amount spent on Medicaid can
also eliminate rationed health care.
A solution to increasing the amount of money spent on Medicaid is by better managing
the money spent on health care. In 2014, “According to the Government Accountability Office,
duplication of federal programs and services costs taxpayers $45 billion annually. Medicare Part
B paid nearly six times more than Medicare Part D for the same drugs and equipment to treat
cancer. Medicare Part B paid $132.9 million for the same medical supplies for cancer treatment
for which Medicare Part D paid $22 million” (Boccia, 2014).
Another solution would be to legalize marijuana because the government can gain money
by taxing the drug. The Affordable Care Act would require states to spend a percentage of
money acquired from marijuana on Medicaid. Oregon has already legalized marijuana. “The
Oregon State Financial Estimate Committee (which includes the Secretary of State, Treasurer
and Revenue director) projected between $17 and $40 million in annual revenues” (Staver,
2014). The excessive amounts of money spent on controlling marijuana use would be saved and
turn into an income for the government. Marijuana would be regulated like alcohol and tobacco.
The government would have another way to fund Medicaid spending.
The cost “in total, of legalizing recreational marijuana would cost the state approximately
$3.9 million annually” (Staver, 2014). Legalizing marijuana would take about a year to have
everything approved, implemented and operating. It would take about two years for the policies
to be implemented through the Affordable Care Act. Overall, it would be about a three or four-
year process.
In conclusion, the eligibility for Medicaid needs to expand so more individuals have
health care. The Affordable Care Act must increase the amount of money spent on Medicaid.

5. PROJECT ASSIGNMENT 2 5
The government is obligated to manage the money they spend better to reduce useless costs. The
government can gain money from legalizing marijuana to spend on Medicaid. The only
individuals who should not be covered by health insurance is illegal immigrants.

6. PROJECT ASSIGNMENT 2 6
References
Boccia, R. (2014, December). Federal Spending by the Numbers, 2014: Government Spending
Trends in Graphics, Tables, and Key Points (Including 51 Examples of Government
Waste). Retrieved from Heritage.org:
http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2014/12/federal-spending-by-the-numbers-
2014
Hartnett, E. (2005, March). Drug Legalization: Why It Wouldn't Work in the United States.
Retrieved from The Police Cheif Magazine:
http://www.policechiefmagazine.org/magazine/index.cfm?fuseaction=display_arch&art
icle_id=533&issue_id=32005
Medicaid.gov. (2014). Eligibility. Retrieved from Medicaid.gov:
http://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid-chip-program-information/by-
topics/eligibility/eligibility.html
Medicaid.gov. (2014). Financing & Reimbursement. Retrieved from Medicaid.gov:
http://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid-chip-program-information/by-topics/financing-and-
reimbursement/financing-and-reimbursement.html
Staver, A. (2014, August 6). State estimates revenue, costs for legalizing marijuana. Statesman
Journal, 1.
The Drug Policy Alliance. (2014). Marijuana Legalization and Regulation. Retrieved from Drug
Policy: http://www.drugpolicy.org/marijuana-legalization-and-regulation