Under new bill, Nebraska businesses with workers on Medicaid could be publicly listed

Bill targets Neb. firms with workers on Medicaid

LINCOLN, Neb. — A Nebraska lawmaker says taxpayers are picking up the health-insurance tabs for too many businesses and wants to make the names of the businesses public.

On Thursday, Sen. Jeremy Nordquist of Omaha introduced a bill that would require the state to publicly list all businesses that employ at least 10 people who receive Medicaid benefits.

Nordquist says that too often, the government-funded insurance plan is used as a long-term alternative to private insurance that can be offered by businesses.

Last year, Nordquist requested Medicaid statistics from the state.

According to the statistics, from 2005 to 2009 there was a 229 percent increase in the number of midsize and large businesses with employees on Medicaid.