GOP Governor Begs Her Party To Expand Medicaid: ‘The Human Cost Of This Tragedy Can’t Be Calculated’

[Tx4obama]

GOP Governor Begs Her Party To Expand Medicaid: ‘The Human Cost Of This Tragedy Can’t Be Calculated’

Jan Brewer (R), Arizona’s combative GOP governor, stunned political observers and health care reform advocates when she became the third Republican governor to endorse Obamacare’s expansion of the public Medicaid program. That decision is great news for Arizona’s poor and uninsured, as well as for the state’s budget. But it’s been met with fierce resistance from state lawmakers in Brewer’s own party, setting up an unusual showdown between Brewer, hospitals, doctors, and reform advocates on one side, and Republican state lawmakers — who Brewer must still persuade to pass legislation accepting the Medicaid expansion — on the other.

That’s why on Wednesday morning, flanked by Arizona public health officials on the steps of the state Capitol, Brewer begged reticent GOP lawmakers — many of whom showed up in black to protest Brewer’s decision — to look past politics and understand the human and financial toll that failing to pass the expansion would instill on Arizonanas. “The human cost of this tragedy can’t be calculated,” Brewer said. “Remember, there is no Plan B.” Brewer estimated that 50,000 low-income Arizonans would lose health coverage without the expansion.

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Full article here: http://thinkprogress.org/health/2013/03/06/1679461/brewer-medicaid-human-cost/

Wow - that's a big surprise.
Is she up for re-election soon or something?

[David__77]

1. The Medicaid expansion is a real political gift.

It forces the Republicans to decide between abandoning their principles and buying into an expansion of public health care on the one hand, and forgoing Medicaid funds and subsidizing the Medicaid expansion in non-right-wing states on the other. It's not as if they get to opt out of paying federal taxes, they just get to stubbornly refuse the federal funds. It's crazier than if a state insisted on a drinking age of 18 and gave up its federal transportation funds.

[CTyankee]

2. I would hope that she would repent her sinful ways, but I really think she was just hit with

the blunt force of reality...people without health insurance end up in the Emergency Room in terrible shape and cost the state much more $$$. That would mean deep doodoo for her politically...

[Oldtimeralso]

3. Just Think...

If Jan Brewer loses her reelection bid she can always work at the International House of Waffles!

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

4. Jan Brewer should switch her party affiliation...

Not to ours, God knows. But maybe the Libertarians will have her.

[tarheelsunc]

5. Don't Libertarians hate Medicaid?

I would think they would tell people "take care of your own damn health problems".

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

7. That's probable...

Just so long as she doesn't try to become a Democrat!

[The Magistrate]

6. Arizona, Ma'am, Is The Meth Lab Of Democracy....

If Jan Brewer is the voice of reason, things have passed beyond recall.

[Cha]

8. Pretty strange predicament when Jan Brewer(the one pointing the finger at PBO on the tarmac)

is begging her teabagger Congress for Obamacare!

Thanks Tx