Arizona Gov. Brewer Opts For ‘Obamacare’ Medicaid Expansion

[ProSense]

Arizona Gov. Brewer Opts For ‘Obamacare’ Medicaid Expansion

Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer (R) on Monday said the state will join the Medicaid expansion under the new federal health care law, the Associated Press reported.

Her announcement came as a surprise to many observers, and it distinguishes Brewer from other Republican governors. The Supreme Court's ruling last summer on the Affordable Care Act, widely known as "Obamacare," made the Medicaid expansion under the federal law optional and state leaders such as Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R), Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal (R) and South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley (R) have already opted out.

But in her State of the State address on Monday, Brewer rejected the notion that a rejection of the expansion would reduce the federal government's deficit.

http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/arizona-gov-brewer-opts-for-obamacare-medicaid-expansion

Arizona was the last holdout to join Medicaid when it was originally enacted in 1966.

Six governors say they will opt out of Medicaid. How long will they hold out?

Posted by Sarah Kliff

<...>

While the stakes are high for the White House, the territory is by no means uncharted. Washington has twice faced off with states over federal health care expansions, when Medicaid initially launched in 1965 and with the Children’s Health Insurance Program in 1997. In both cases, all 50 states ultimately signed up – but not without some wrangling.

<...>

Medicaid got a chilly reception when it launched in January 1966. It was up to the states to decide whether to participate and only six initially signed up: Hawaii, Illinois, Minnesota, North Dakota, Oklahoma and Pennsylvania. Twenty-seven followed suit later that year. Across the country, governors weighed the boon of new federal dollars — Washington would foot half of Medicaid’s bill — against the drawback of putting state money into a new program.

Nascent Medicaid programs quickly faced threats: Republican legislators in the New York introduced a bill in 1967 calling for the state to “live within its means” and repeal its Medicaid program.

<...>

Over time, however, the lure of federal dollars proved strong enough to win over resistant states. Eleven joined the program in 1967. Another wave of eight, largely Southern states came on board in 1970. Arizona proved the last holdout, not joining Medicaid until 1982.

- more -

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/wp/2012/07/09/six-governors-say-they-will-opt-out-of-medicaid-how-long-will-they-hold-out/

The health care law is still the biggest expansion of the safety net since Medicare
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022159929

[ProSense]

1. Kick! n/t

[WI_DEM]

2. I wish that a-hole Walker would surprise us and opt for the Medicaid expansion

[ProSense]

5. Let's see how long that asshole holds out. n/t

[BlueCaliDem]

3. You've scared a LOT of anti-Obamanites away with that last part

in your post: "The health care law is still the biggest expansion of the safety net since Medicare". I'm not surprised you haven't received a comment yet although this post is creeping lower down the list. I guess it just doesn't fit in the "Caver in Chief" or "Secret Republican" narrative that's been all too prevalent here these past years.

[RetroGamer1971]

4. Money trumps KRAZY!

Jan is the GOV of my state, She is all bluster, and no thought. She was fine with opting out to teach that mean old black man a lesson, until she saw how big the piece of pie was. Finger waving in the Presidents face did not cost her state billions of dollars over the next decade. She is all hat, no cattle.

[AZ Progressive]

6. Thank god our governor has decided to put people's lives ahead of politics.

[ProSense]

7. She said it's the "moral" thing,

but then went on to mention the money.

<...>

"It is the best option that we have. And it's the right option at this point in time," Brewer told host Mike Broomhead. "You know, it's going to create jobs, particularly our rural hospitals. And it's a moral thing. We've got people that need insurance. And we're paying for it, but the taxpayers are paying for it now. So, when you put everything down side-by-side, it's the right thing to do. It just is impossible to think of doing anything else. Why would I want to send $2 billion to New York or New Jersey or back East to anywhere where they would just squander it, or give it to Colorado?"

http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/brewer-on-support-of-medicaid-expansion-its-moral

Still, good for the people of Arizona.

[Cha]

8. K&R.. yeah, shocker! Won't the AZ teabaggers

be accusing her of of RINOism?

[Scurrilous]

9. Heh!