Becca Aaronson Health/Data Reporter, The Texas Tribune

1. REPORTING ON THE
MEDICAID EXPANSION
I N A S TAT E L I K E
TEXAS
Becca Aaronson
Health/Data Reporter, The Texas
Tribune
baaronson@texastribune.org
@becca_aa

2. GOING BEYOND THE OBVIOUS
The Obvious:
Texas won’t expand Medicaid, because Gov. Rick
Perry doesn’t support the ACA or the Medicaid
expansion.
But in other red states, governors have reversed
course and now support it: Jan Brewer (Ariz.) and
Rick Scott (Florida)
graphic by: Todd Wiseman

3. GET A GRIP
On the policy arguments underlying the political
rhetoric on both sides.
In Texas, Republicans want the “flexibility” to fix a “broken program”
by encouraging “individual responsibility.” What’s that really mean?
 Flexibility: A block grant (less money, but fewer federal
requirements), so they can implement cost containment measures
the Feds don’t currently allow.
 Broken program: There aren’t enough providers to serve the
existing Medicaid clients in some areas & costs are growing
exponentially.
 Individual responsibility: Co-payments.
Keep the basic facts in your back pocket.

4. REACH OUT
Who stands to lose if Texas doesn’t expand
Medicaid?
Working poor / unions / poverty advocates – Health coverage
Democrats – Political power, districts have greater levels of
poverty/uninsured
 Texas Democrats See Path to Medicaid Expansion
Hospitals – $$$
 Trade Associations Lend Support to Medicaid Expansion
Local Gov’t – $$$ (They also foot the bill for uncompensated care)
 Dallas County Urges Texas to Expand Medicaid
Republicans – Campaign money, local gov’t pressure, general fiscal
arguments
Off the Record: Make friends with lobbyists on all sides.

5. WHY DATA?
ENGAGEMENT:
Interactive elements allow readers to participate in
the conversation by building their own
understanding of the information.
OBJECTIVITY:
Does not exist, not even in data. But presenting
the data behind the “facts” in interactive formats
allows readers to look beyond the rhetoric and
judge for themselves.
Plus, it’s cool.

6. HOW TO GET STARTED
GATHER INFORMATION
Look for data from state health agencies, Federal CMS & White
House, Kaiser Family Foundation, Advocacy Groups
MUST LEARN Excel tricks
 How to sort, filter, clean and check accuracy of data
 Pivot tables

7. WHAT TO DO WITH DATA?
ASK YOURSELF:
What’s the story?
Lots of people in Red States want to expand Medicaid, despite
flaws in the program and political resistance, because it would
bring lots of federal tax dollars back to the state and expand
insurance coverage.
What do my readers wants?
To know how Medicaid expansion would directly affect them.

8. START WITH CHARTS
Examples: Excel charts, Google charts, Google
Fusion Tables, ManyEyes, HighCharts

9. MAPPING

10. QUESTIONS?
Contact me…
Becca Aaronson
@becca_aa
baaronson@texastribune.org