Relief for States and the Jobless on Health Insurance

The stimulus package doesn't just call for increased spending and tax cuts, it will also help the poor, the uninsured, and the unemployed. The House Democrats would create a temporary new entitlement that allows workers getting unemployment checks to qualify for Medicaid. Spouses and children would also receive benefits, regardless of how much money the family has. Also, the stimulus package will provide a subsidy for laid-off workers to keep the health insurance they had from their former employers. Overall, the bill would give $127 billion over the next two and a half years to individuals and states for health care. Republicans criticize this amount, calling it "a back door to universal health coverage". The stimulus bill prohibits states from enforcing a means test, as well as provides much needed relief for Medicaid programs since state revenues are decreasing while the number of Medicaid recipients is increasing. As for the laid-off workers, the bill stipulates that the federal government will pay for 65% of the premiums of the laid-off workers for a year. However, Republicans fear that people with a family income of over $1 million will take advantage of this option, and wanted to deny these subsidies to people with annual incomes of more that $100,000 or assets of more than $1 million. But Democrats ignored the Republicans' arguments. Do you think giving money to health care like this and using these methods will help us more or hurt us more?