Austin Knudsen, lawyer of the high plains

When the Missoulian asked Montana State House Speaker Austin Knudsen (R–Culbertson) where Medicaid expansion would fit in the 2015 legislative agenda, he replied that “able-bodied people should be able to go out and get a job.” That remark suggested a striking ignorance of not only what health insurance is for, but also who would benefit from fulfilling the federal mandate to expand Medicaid in Montana. There are lots of ways to make too much money to qualify for Medicaid but not enough to buy private insurance, and most of them involve working full time. When Knudsen answers “get a job” to the Medicaid expansion question, he forces voters to decide whether he is ignorant or just believes they are. We consider that question in this week’s column in the Missoula Independent. Be sure to read the first comment, which notes that plenty of people without jobs make too much from disability to qualify for Medicaid, too. We’ll be back tomorrow with Friday links!