Bozeman First Responders vs. Montana’s Medicaid Expansion, What’s the Diff? [OPINION]

I recently discussed an Associated Press story regarding Montana's Medicaid expansion program.

It states that: "(m)ore than 38,000 previously uninsured Montanans have enrolled for health coverage from the state's Medicaid expansion program."

During the course of my explanation of why this is a good thing, many of you pushed back, asking - "Whose money is it?" and "Why should my federal tax dollars pay for a losers health care?" etc.

You have to understand, when an uninsured person walks into an emergency room, the hospital must treat them. Without insurance or the ability to pay the bill, the hospital passes those costs on to everybody else.

So why is it that more insured people are a good thing, even if financed, in part, by our federal tax dollars? First and foremost, it's part of the common good of society. It is better for all of us to have access to some form of health care coverage, right?

What else is part of the common good of society? Let's just start with Bozeman's first responders - fire and police departments - city services you pay for with your tax dollars. These are two essential services that serve our Bozeman society.

Should your next door neighbor say, "I have never used the fire department and I'm not paying for anyone else to use it." What would you say? God forbid, that neighbors home catches fire and and nobody responds. I'm sure you would be speaking that following morning to the neighbor that chose not to help the common good, because YOUR home just burned to the ground as well.

Bozeman City Manager Chris Kukulski:

"The funding for the Bozeman Police & Fire Departments is made up of 51-54% (actual expenditures) of the city General Fund which is comprised of property tax and fees and fines from law enforcement and judicial - As well as overdue library books, recreational programs (and other ancillary sources) to name but a few."

In review, we all think it's a good thing to fund police and fire with tax dollars because we're all in it together. If you can't pay your medical bills, even with insurance? Here's a quick Google search with options. While health care is a deeply personal topic of discussion, we're still all in it together.

And that is why Montana's Medicaid expansion program is a good idea.

(The Associated Press contributed to the piece)