Stop Medicaid expansion in Ohio: Tuesday Blitz

Last Monday, Tea Party Patriots State Co-Coordinator Marianne Gasiecki delivered a letter against the expansion of Medicaid in Ohio signed by 25 Ohio Tea Party & liberty groups across the state, and the petition signed by over 2,600 Ohio residents, to Governor Kasich's office. A copy of the letter and petition was also delivered to Ohio House Speaker Batchelder’s and Senate President Faber's offices.

Getting coverage from the local level to across Ohio and from San Francisco to Washington D.C., you can be sure that not only Governor Kasich and the Ohio Legislature knows where we stand, but the country now knows the Tea Party & Liberty groups in Ohio are ready to combat any expansion of Medicaid in our state.

To date, while we have received no direct response from the Governor himself, the Tea Party & Liberty groups in Ohio were attacked by a recent political appointee of Governor Kasich's days after our letter and petition were delivered.

In response to our opposition on the expansion of Medicaid in Ohio under Obamacare, Ohio Right to Life President Michael Gonidakis, who supported provisions that allowed Obamacare to become law, and who was recently appointed to the State Medical Board by Governor Kasich, called Tea Party groups in Ohio, "idealogues that are putting the conservative movement at risk by opposing the expansion of Medicaid and saying to hell with other Ohioans."

It should also be noted that while he claims to have fought against the passage of Obamacare, Gonidakis actively campaigned for and applauded the passage of the Stupak Amendment, which allowed Obamacare to be passed into law. Now, while on the State Board, he is promoting the expansion of Medicaid in Ohio under Obamacare.

How do we respond to these border-line Obama-like Chicago-style thug politics? We work even harder to defeat the expansion of Medicaid in Ohio under Obamacare!

Passion to Action

Tuesday Blitz

On Tuesday, March 5, 2013 (tomorrow), the letter against the expansion of Medicaid in Ohio signed by 25 Ohio Tea Party & Liberty groups, along with the petition against expanding Medicaid in Ohio --  with now nearly.2,800 signatures (sign Petition here) -- will be sent to all members of the House Finance Committee currently hearing the bill.

We are asking everyone to please call and email the GOP members of the House Finance Committee on the same day (Tuesday, March 5) to reinforce our opposition. Along with this, we are asking everyone to also call Governor Kasich, and House Speaker Batchelder to express your opposition to Medicaid expansion on the same day. Please make as many calls as you can.

Governor Kasich

PH #: (614)466-3555

Email: http://www.governor.ohio.gov/Contact/ContacttheGovernor.aspx

House Speaker Batchelder

PH #: (614)466-8140

Email: http://www.ohiohouse.gov/william-g-batchelder/contact

Next and most importantly, please call and email GOP members of the House Finance Committee and urge them to VOTE NO on expanding Medicaid in Ohio under Obamacare. Please make as many calls as you can.

House Finance Committee

Chair

Rep Ron Amstutz

PH #: (614)466-1474

Email: http://www.ohiohouse.gov/ron-amstutz/contact

Vice-Chair

Rep. Jeff McClain

PH #: (614)644-6265

Email: http://www.ohiohouse.gov/jeff-mcclain/contact

Rep. Richard Adams

PH #: (614)466-8114

Email: http://www.ohiohouse.gov/richard-n-adams/contact

Rep. Marlene Anielski

PH #: (614)644-6401

Email: http://www.ohiohouse.gov/marlene-anielski/contact

Rep. Peter Beck

PH #: (614)644-6027

Email: http://www.ohiohouse.gov/peter-beck/contact

Rep. Timothy Derickson

PH #: (614)644-5094

Email: http://www.ohiohouse.gov/timothy-derickson/contact

Rep. Mike Dovilla

PH #: (614)466-4895

Email: http://www.ohiohouse.gov/mike-dovilla/contact

Rep. Mike Duffy

PH #: (614)644-6030

Email: http://www.ohiohouse.gov/mike-duffey/contact

Rep Anne Gonzales

PH #: (614)466-4847

Email: http://www.ohiohouse.gov/anne-gonzales/contact

Rep. Dave Hall

PH #: (614)466-2994

Email: http://www.ohiohouse.gov/david-hall/contact

Rep. Bill Hayes

PH #: (614)466-2500

Email: http://www.ohiohouse.gov/bill-hayes/contact

Rep. Ron Maag

PH #: (614)644-6023

Email: http://www.ohiohouse.gov/ron-maag/contact

Rep Ross McGregor

PH #: (614)466-2038

Email: http://www.ohiohouse.gov/ross-w-mcgregor/contact

Rep. Cliff Rosenberger

PH #: (614)466-3506

Email: http://www.ohiohouse.gov/cliff-rosenberger/contact

Rep. Barbara Sears

PH #: (614)466-1731

Email: http://www.ohiohouse.gov/barbara-r-sears/contact

Rep. Ryan Smith

PH #: (614)466-1366

Email: http://www.ohiohouse.gov/ryan-smith/contact

Rep. Robert Sprague

PH #: (614)466-3819

Email: http://www.ohiohouse.gov/robert-sprague/contact

Rep. Peter Stautberg

PH #: (614)644-6886

Email: http://www.ohiohouse.gov/peter-stautberg/contact

Rep. Gerald Stebelton

PH #: (614)466-8100

Email: http://www.ohiohouse.gov/gerald-l-stebelton/contact

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Blog Bug - All better now

The Cleveland Tea Party Patriot blog was out of commission for about a week - it had a very nasty virus. All better now. 

Sorry for the inconvenience. 

Stop Medicaid Expansion in Ohio! Sign the Petition!

Stop Medicaid Expansion in Ohio!

Sign the Petition Now!

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As you probably know, Governor Kasich caved to pressure to expand Medicaid, in direct defiance of the Ohio's voters. Please sign the petition to Governor Kasich immediately and share it with everyone you know! We will deliver the petition to the Governor on Friday to remind him that we the people of Ohio reject Obamacare in its entirety.

Text of the petition:

Dear Governor Kasich,

We the undersigned residents of Ohio stand firmly and strongly against the expansion of Medicaid in Ohio under the Federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare).

In the current structure, Medicaid spending in Ohio is already an unsustainable fiscal liability to our state. The fiscal liability of expanding Medicaid in Ohio will compound this burden and will quickly outgrow any promised funds from the Federal Government.

Any expansion of Medicaid in Ohio will further increase the financial burden for future generations of Ohio residents.

We strongly believe that continuing the proposed expansion of Medicaid is not only fiscally irresponsible, but does not solve the issue of quality, affordable care through a balanced free market approach.

Please be advised that the undersigned Ohio residents will remain engaged and active in the legislative process to do our part to stop any expansion of Medicaid in Ohio under, or in conjunction with, the Federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

We request that you please reconsider your proposed expansion of Medicaid so we can all concentrate our efforts in moving our state forward rather than saddling us with further financially unsustainable entitlements.

SIGN THE PETITION NOW!

Call your rep in Columbus: NO Medicaid expansion in Ohio

NO to Medicaid expansion in Ohio

Last night, Mansfield and Cleveland Tea Party Patriots held a conference call with tea party and liberty minded leaders to discuss Governor Kasich's decision to expand Medicaid in Ohio. Joining us were experts from the Buckeye Institute, State Budget Solutions, and Tea Party Patriots.

We strongly believe that this proposed expansion of Medicaid is not only fiscally unsustainable, but also does not solve the issue of quality, affordable care through a balanced free market approach. These tea party leaders will be signing an official statement to the Governor, which will be released next week.

Not only does the expansion of this entitlement program further burden Ohio taxpayers without any long-term solution, studies show that because Medicaid pays Ohio doctors roughly half of what private insurers pay - which will only decline over time - patients receiving treatment through Medicaid receive care that is inferior to those who are uninsured.

Please continue to call your state Representative and express your opposition to the Governor's decision to expand Medicaid.

Click here for your Ohio representative contact information.

More on healthcare: Wheels Coming Off

More on Healthcare(and a reminder to sign up for the Feb. 13 conference call)

In news related to current efforts to stop the expansion of Medicaid in Ohio, here is Betsy McCaughey, in a recent New York Post piece ("Wheels Coming Off"), on  a few of the ugly realities of ObamaCare coming to light as provisions begin to kick in:

the biggest setback is that most states are refusing to set up insurance exchanges. The exchanges are supposed to sell the government-mandated plans and hand out taxpayer-funded subsidies to most enrollees. 

Here’s the glitch. The law says that in states that refuse, the federal government can set up an exchange. But the law empowers only state exchanges, not federal ones, to hand out subsidies. The Obama administration says it will disregard the law and offer subsidies in all 50 states anyway, but the case will likely go to the Supreme Court. 

If the courts uphold the clear language of the law, then some 8 million people in the affected states won’t be eligible for subsidies to cover that $20,000 (or more) insurance bill. That’s another 8 million without coverage. 

All in all, at least 40 million people could be uninsured in 2016, only 9 million fewer than before the law was passed. 

Expect the momentum for repealing this law to grow as its flaws, perverse incentives and faulty predictions come to light.

Keep some of this in mind during tomorrow evening's conference call (8 pm) discussing how to STOP Medicaid expansion in Ohio. Sign up for the call here. 

Stop the Expansion of Medicaid in Ohio

Calling all Ohio Tea Party Patriots: Conference Call update

Marianne (Mansfield Tea Party) and Ralph (Cleveland Tea Party Patriots) are organizing a conference call next week

WHEN: Wednesday, February 13th, 8:00 p.m.

WHERE: Comfort of your own home

The purpose of the call is to discuss a unified plan of action to address Governor Kasich's "deal with the Devil" on Medicaid expansion in Ohio. Joining us on the call will be:

Bob Williams, President of State Budget Solutions - "Kasich makes it sound like the federal money that will come to the state to support this Medicaid is free money. It comes from us the taxpayers and we can't afford it anymore. Bottom line is that states need to stand up to the federal government."

Bill Pasco, Executive V.P. Citizens for the Republic - Bill joins Tea Party Patriots weekly on national conference calls as Tea Party Patriots' Legislative Coordinator. He provides a wealth of legislative knowledge and the inside scoop. "Kasich's betrayal is not going down well among conservatives in DC. Talk for the last 48 hours has been focused on him throwing away any chance he might have had for the GOP nomination in 2016."

Based on the information provided and ideas shared, the hope is that we can create a unified plan of action to address our legislature, and stop the financially disastrous plan to expand Medicaid.

If you have not registered for this call, please click here. Once registered, you will receive a "reminder" email with the call in # and access code.

Medicaid Expansion is Unsustainable

PRESS RELEASE
February 4, 2013

For Immediate Release
Contact: Marianne Gasiecki
State Co-coordinator (OH) - Tea Party Patriots
(419) 961-4439

Medicaid Expansion is Unsustainable
Tea Party Patriots (OH) Oppose Medicaid Expansion

Ohio - February 4, 2013 - Governor Kasich has been under a lot of pressure from progressive organizations, as well as lobbyists from the medical/hospital industry, to expand Medicaid in Ohio, and today announced that he will be doing just that.

"Since taking office and erasing an $8 billion hole in our budget, Governor Kasich's fiscally conservative approach to governing Ohio has brought our state a budget surplus. It's very disappointing that Governor Kasich has decided to expand Medicaid in Ohio under Obamacare, and abandon his fiscally conservative policies that have served our state well," said Ralph King, Co-founder of the Cleveland Tea Party Patriots and State Co-coordinator for Tea Party Patriots (OH).

The Governor's office recently expressed concern over the ability of the state to cope with the increased costs that occur when Ohioans currently eligible for Medicaid begin enrolling to comply with the Affordable Care Act's individual mandates. Medicaid benefits for these individuals are subject to Ohio's normal federal Medicaid formula and will cost the state nearly $700 million in the first two years alone. 

The Medicaid expansion would apply to all eligible Ohioans at or below 138 percent of the federal poverty level and would create a significant fiscal liability for the state beginning in 2017. The federal government has said it will pay 100 percent of the cost of Medicaid expansion in the first three years, with the subsidy phasing down after that.

"Considering the financial crisis the federal government is currently facing, I expect that promise to be reneged upon, and Ohio to be left holding the bag. Aside from the fact that Ohio would still have to incur the expense of covering 50% of the administrative costs to run the new program, expanding entitlements will make more people more dependent on government, rather creating a stronger more independent citizenry through economic growth" stated Marianne Gasiecki, Founder of the Mansfield Tea Party and fellow State Co-coordinator.

Tea Party Patriots is organized as a 501(c)(4). Our three core principles are fiscal responsibility, constitutionally limited government and a free market society.

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