A new report by the Center for Healthcare Research and Transformation in Michigan found that Medicaid beneficiaries in the state are very satisfied with their health coverage. As lawmakers in the state and across the country decide if they will take the opportunity under the Affordable Care Act to expand Medicaid coverage to more of their state residents, they should take into consideration this and other reports that show that Medicaid is good coverage.

The Department of Health and Human Services announced late last week that 6.3 million Medicare beneficiaries have saved a total of $6.1 billion on their prescription drug coverage since the enactment of Affordable Care Act in 2010.

The next couple of months are going to be pretty busy for Congress as they work to reach a budget resolution and avert a government shutdown. Like a broken record, opponents of health care are pushing to cut vital programs—like Medicaid, Medicare, and the Affordable Care Act—in order to reduce spending, while still trying to ignore the option of increasing revenues.

Recently, despite initial opposition, significant pressure from political interest groups, and the daunting task of getting support from the required 75 percent of legislators, the Arkansas legislature voted “yes” on the Medicaid expansion. This victory was made possible by an effective advocacy campaign that mobilized the people of Arkansas to call upon their elected leaders to do the right thing—an ideal strategy in a state where the motto is, “The People Rule.”