Medicaid Expansion as Completion of the Great Society

1 Ill. L. Rev. Slip Ops. 1 (2014)

University of Illinois Law Review, Vol. 1, No. 1, 2014

8 Pages Posted: 15 Oct 2014 Last revised: 26 Nov 2014

See all articles by Nicole Huberfeld

Nicole Huberfeld

Boston University School of Law; Boston University - School of Public Health

Jessica L. Roberts

University of Houston Law Center

Date Written: October 27, 2014

Abstract

A state’s decision whether to expand Medicaid has become a highly politicized issue, spawning countless news stories and on-going debate. However, this Essay takes a step back from that highly charged discourse and situates Medicaid expansion in its historical context. We reveal that this latest change universalizes the program, holding the power to finally realize President Johnson’s vision for the Great Society, almost fifty years later. Medicaid can be understood as a universal program for three reasons: (1) the percentage of the population of children, pregnant women, and non-elderly adults it covers; (2) the degree to which Medicaid funds long-term care for the elderly and the disabled, and (3) the ACA’s philosophy that makes Medicaid a universal safety net, one that covers not just the deserving poor, but anyone who cannot afford health insurance. This new perspective on the Medicaid expansion is particularly timely and salient in light of this fall’s upcoming gubernatorial elections. It reveals that Medicaid is more than a political issue: It is a matter of civil rights.

Keywords: Medicaid, Medicaid expansion, health-care reform, Affordable Care Act, civil rights, universal vulnerability, Great Society

Suggested Citation

Huberfeld, Nicole and Roberts, Jessica L., Medicaid Expansion as Completion of the Great Society (October 27, 2014). 1 Ill. L. Rev. Slip Ops. 1 (2014), University of Illinois Law Review, Vol. 1, No. 1, 2014, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2509845 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2509845

Nicole Huberfeld (Contact Author)

Boston University School of Law ( email )

765 Commonwealth Avenue
Boston, MA 02215
United States

Boston University - School of Public Health ( email )

715 Albany Street
Boston, MA 02118
United States

Jessica L. Roberts

University of Houston Law Center ( email )

4800 Calhoun Road
Houston, TX 77204
United States

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