Democrats, GOP spar over Medicaid reform at govs' meeting

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press


Ben Nuckols, Associated Press Updated 4:40 pm, Saturday, February 25, 2017


WASHINGTON (AP) — Tensions emerged Saturday between Democratic and Republican U.S. governors over a GOP-led proposal for a major overhaul to Medicaid, with Democrats saying the changes would take away people's health coverage to finance tax cuts for the wealthy.

GOP governors intend to present Congress with a plan that they say would give states more flexibility to administer health coverage for poorer residents while protecting states from absorbing the costs of repealing the Affordable Care Act. Democratic governors said Saturday that their Republican counterparts were being dishonest about the effects of their plan.
 
"They want to spend less money on people's health care so they can do tax cuts for the rich. They've tried to put this camouflage on it that somehow they're giving governors flexibility. We've got plenty of flexibility," Democratic Washington Gov. Jay Inslee said. "This is not what we are asking for."

While major changes to former president Barack Obama's signature health care law appear inevitable with Republicans controlling the White House and both houses of Congress, Inslee said there's still a chance that Democrats can win over GOP lawmakers who've been facing angry constituents at town hall meetings.

Read more: http://www.chron.com/news/us/article/Democrats-GOP-Medicaid-reform-plan-is-really-10959293.php#photo-12448065

[tenorly]

1. And by "flexibility" they mean carte blanche to turn health insurance into a giant scam.

You would pay for it, they idea goes, but get nothing in return if you ever (God forbid) needed it.

It's basically Henry Kaiser's sadistic dream turned into national policy.

[flamingdem]

2. The messaging on this is improving

Now the dems are not afraid to tell it like it is, all about tax breaks for the ultra wealthy.

[yardwork]

3. This is why state elections matter so much.

[lark]

4. I doubt Repugs will flip because of people's concerns about their health.

They don't give a fuck about the working class peoples' health. The only health they care about is their own and the health of the 1%ers bank accounts. That's what they want to improve. After all, the rich must have more $$ to give out more bribes, er campaign donations. That's their primary motive for being in congress to begin with.