Talk Radio News Service: News, Politics, Media

Travis Martinez, University of New Mexico/Talk Radio News Service

Dennis Smith, Senior Fellow in Health Care Reform at the Heritage Foundation, warned Monday that many Americans will not be prepared for the proposed changes to the U.S. health care system.

“Clearly Medicaid will be a very large part of it, now more than half of American’s to be insured will be covered under the Medicaid system. It will be a great shock ... going to a local welfare office to obtain [Medicaid] eligibility and finding access problems,” said Smith during an interview with Talk Radio News Service.

“The states are already at a breaking point with Medicaid. Just last year the Government Accountability Office warned Congress that Medicaid was unsustainable,” he added.

Smith also discussed the mandate for Americans to purchase health insurance, arguing that through the requirement, the federal government will essentially be telling Americans how to spend their income.

“This is going to be a big shock to the system... Some people are going to be very resentful towards the federal government,” said Smith.

“By 2019 this will be 20% of our economy, one in every $5 dollars spent is basically going to be run by the federal government, and I guarantee they’re not going to get it right,” added Smith.

Smith also warned that Congress risks putting too much strain on the medical industry by compounding the already existing physician shortage with another 20 million patients.

“There’s already a shortage of physicians who participate in Medicaid,” said Smith. "How are these people going to be served?"