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I have been fighting Medicaid Expansion since it was proposed in the legislature because of the history in other states that have been overwhelmed with costs that were never projected and have reeked havoc with their budgets. I have written our legislators testified at committee hearings and condemned taking on this expansion as all of the people who said this would be good for Idaho have been wrong. The only ones who have been helped by this expansion are the non profit hospitals who's transfer payments have increased substantially because of this government subsidy. I said years ago that this expansion would be abused and it has certainly come to pass as we find huge numbers of unqualified persons signed on to this program. I also said that once you acceplt a program like this it is just about impossible to close it down so we are stuck with the remnants of a misguided referendum by those who said this would be good for the state. I often wonder how many of those who promoted this program have been benefiting from it financially. Idaho has taken the wrong fork in the road for medical care and it is a one way road to Bankruptcy. I'm not sure you can fix this problem as it has been and still is supported by IACI and the two major hospitals in our state which pretty much tell our legislators what to do and when to do it. The corporations have been increasing premiums for their healthcare plans and reducing payments for benefits while the hospitals have been raising prices and sucking up most of the transfer payments. It seems to me that the only real beneficiaries have been the Corporations and the Hospitals. Too bad there are no do overs in government once something like this has been accepted.

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Robert, you're spot-on about Medicaid Expansion. It's causing all sorts of trouble in other states, and it looks like it's happening here too. You've been fighting against it, and I'm with you. It seems like only big hospitals and companies are winning here. We're stuck with this mess now, and it's a real shame. I'm worried about where this is taking us. Thanks for standing up for what's right.

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I totally agree and totally see this playout unfortunately usually to the less fortunate and poor. I've seen scammers or take advantage of the system and get everything they want on the opposite I've seen people who need it are justified in getting the help And don't even going through the right channels proper system. One person who scams a system hurts us all. I grew up around disabled people and understand the need for it. When they start giving it out to people who really don't need it and can work the one affects us all. I suffer from several elements got a bad doctor and it totally almost ruined me. I choose to push forward for what's right as a result I've lost a lot of people who I thought were friend's. Doing the right thing usually isn't the easy thing. As a citizen of this great state of Idaho I've always appreciated I know running a balance budget. I also believe it is a path to socialistic type of living. Freedom is rare and we must keep it. Robert Lester Junior

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Robert, you're telling it like it is. Some people are taking advantage of the system, and it's hurting those who really need help. I feel for you and what you've gone through. Keep pushing forward and doing what's right, even when it's tough. I love Idaho, and I want to see us do right by our people. Freedom's too important to lose, and we've got to stand up for it. Thanks for speaking up.

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Thanks Sir. Agreed. I'm on my own two feet on solid ground and alive. A path forward is hard but I'm a believer. I've kept my moral compass and have never done to others what's been done to me. I'm not angry and I forgive total. I'm willing to become involved.

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Thank you for highlighting the awful Medicaid scheme and for providing some solutions. Idaho is well on its way to becoming a blue welfare state. As we become more dependent on government, government will take our rights and exact multiple pounds of corresponding flesh.

You want Covid Money? OK, here are the dictates you must obey in exchange. School breakfast and lunches? Ditto. Public schools and libraries? Double-ditto.

Tyranny by government (and legislators) never ends until we say “No more!” Government giveaways rarely benefit the recipients as intended (ask Thomas Sowell: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mS5WYp5xmvI); those most in need often end up worse off as do those who pay for these wasteful programs.

On and on it goes until no citizens can stand on their own two feet without the government propping them up. This absolutely must stop, from Medicaid to public education and everything in between.

Senator Lenney: Please call out the names of every Main Street Caucus member who supported this gigantic giveaway along with their district numbers so constitutents can write, call, or send them out the door. (And call out the one brave soul who stood up against this massive increase so we know who did the right thing for Idahoans.)

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Big E, you've hit the nail on the head. This Medicaid stuff is a mess, and it's great that you're not afraid to say how it's leading us down a dangerous path. You're right that the more we depend on the government, the more control they have over us.

Your examples, like the Covid Money and school meals, show how deep the problem goes. It's like we're being bribed and bossed around at the same time. And the folks who really need help? They often end up worse off, just like you said.

We need to stand strong and say "No more!" to all this nonsense. Thanks for speaking out, and for calling for accountability from the politicians who got us into this mess. We've got to know who's on our side and who's not. Thanks for keeping the fight going!

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Thank you so much, Brian! With people like you for inspiration, it's hard not to keep the fight going. The trick is getting others to help so that more are doing the heavy lifting and fewer are just complaining without looking for solutions to uncontrolled government spending and theft of founding-freedoms.

We need a whole bunch more legislators with your mindset. Anything you can do to help recruit and publicize great people to run against Republicans who do not represent conservative Constitutional values would be much appreciated! Someday I hope EVERY person in Idaho's legislature will be proud members of Idaho Freedom Caucus (yes, even traditional Democrats).

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Here are some more discussions about the insurance industry in general and how many could get a much better deal. Food for thought as you try to fight the Medicaid debacle:

Broken Health Insurance System (11/16/23). RFK Jr dissects America's health insurance system with Brigham Buhler. The explore how patients and providers can exit the insurance-based model and move toward health care instead of sick care. Topics include pharmacy benefit managers, drug costs, compounding pharmacy challenges, revolving door between government and big Pharma, independent primary care, telehealth, and pharmacies (podcast 1hr): https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rfkjr/episodes/Broken-Health-Insurance-System-with-Brigham-Buhler-e2c07dk/a-aak8ap5

Alternatives To Traditional Health Insurance with Charles Frohman and Dr. Marilyn M. Singleton (10/24/23). Wide ranging discussion addresses health lobbying influence over both Democrats and Republicans, high insurance and drug costs, the growth of America's wireless tower digital prison, environmental toxins, and the WHO’s One Health "final solution" which makes leaving the WHO imperative. Solutions include health savings accounts, direct primary care, decentralized health organizations (replacing federal organizations such as FDA, CDC, etc.), changes in health-provider certifications, reducing employer costs, and more (podcast 58 min): https://www.americaoutloud.news/alternatives-to-traditional-health-insurance-with-charles-frohman/

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What a can of worms! Having seen both sides of medicaid now, there's no good reason to keep it for anyone. The real healing starts in the neglected farm soil that's producing even more nutrient poor crops every year; (before they're processed into the heart healthy American diet). If we fixed the farms we could all but eliminate medicaid. Medicaid is out of control because we're not supplied with nutrient dense food. And organic doesn't mean it's nutrient dense. It means it's not polluted with GMOs. Nutrient dense food has 77 essential minerals, 16 essential vitamins, 12 essential amino acids, and 3 essential fatty acids in balance and amounts based on our personal body weight. Fat is what you get when three cylinders aren't firing and you need a bigger gas tank to hold the fuel you can't burn anymore.

Just for the record, I was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. I was stuck in bed and full of water before my wife filled out the paperwork and I was taken to the hospital during "the bug". It was a challenge to face down 7 cardiologists, 1 surgeon, 1 floor doctor, and two staffs of nurses by myself. I saved the state the expense of gallbladder surgery, 4 weeks of food I didn't eat. I offended 6 of the 7 cardiologists so, that cut more cost. I ditched the hospital after two weeks. Ditched the nursing home after two more weeks. Cut my drug bill to nothing. Minerals and vitamins are cheaper than most drugs and fix problems far better.

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