Giving Compass' Take:

• In this story from Pacific Standard, author David M. Perry suggests that Medicaid for All, rather than Medicare for All, might be the best pathway toward universal coverage.

• Do states currently have sufficient information to decide whether Medicaid for All would be a good policy to pursue? Could the nonprofit sector help legislators access this data to make more informed decisions on the matter?

• To learn about how the Medicaid health home program is being used as a tool to fight the opioid crisis, click here.

What if the pathway to universal health care in America isn't Medicare for All—a catch-all phrase for a variety of bills that would enable anyone to buy into Medicare—but instead Medicaid for All? A new study by American University law professor Lindsay Wiley in the Ohio State Law Journal suggests that, under Medicaid statutes, states already have broad legal authority to expand access to the program as they see fit. It's possible for states to take action now, Wiley argues, though she notes that true universal coverage will depend on federal support.

Medicaid for All isn't a new idea. Senator Brian Schatz of Hawaii sponsored the State Public Option Act in 2017, which would have shifted Medicaid from a means-limited program to one that anyone could buy into. Lobbying for the bill in an op-ed, Schatz wrote:

Why Medicaid? Frankly, this program—already serving 69 million people—is underrated. It has a large provider network and the same positive ratings as private insurance but at a much lower cost to the government. Based on partnerships between state and federal governments, Medicaid also gives states the flexibility to adapt services and models of care based on their individual needs.

Read the full article about Medicaid for All by David M. Perry at Pacific Standard