Thursday, January 24, 2013

Only One Democratic Governor Has Not Yet Expanded Medicaid

Oh, Steve "Cowardly Waste of Oxygen" Beshear, you never disappoint. Even in your last term you can't bring yourself to help Kentucky's most vulnerable for fear of upsetting the repugs.

Ed Kilgore at Political Animal:
One of the more bizarre phenomena transpiring across the country—sort of a slow-motion riot—involves the efforts of (mostly Republican) governors and state legislators to deny their citizens the benefits of the Affordable Care Act’s Medicaid expansion, which would significantly expand access to health insurance at a relatively small cost to states (a cost which is offset partially or even entirely by the reduction of uncompensated care).

At this point the leadership of ten states, all with Republican governors, have rejected participation in the Medicaid expansion. Five more states—again, all with Republican governors—are said to be “leaning against” participation. And things are entirely up in the air in twelve other states, eleven of them with Republican governors.
 From advisory.com's Medicaid Map:


  • Kentucky: Gov. Steve Beshear (D) when asked about the expansion in July said, "If there is a way that we can afford that will get more coverage for more Kentuckians, I'm for it." However, state lawmakers are putting pressure on Beshear to reject the expansion (Office of Gov. Beshear release, 6/28; AP/Evansville Courier & Press, 6/28; AP/Evansville Courier & Press, 7/17; Autry, WYU, 7/5; Cross, Louisville Courier-Journal, 6/29).
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