The Republican governors of Ohio, Nevada, Michigan and Arkansas on March 16 penned a letter to Congress stating their opposition to the American Health Care Act, the Republican plan to replace the ACA. In particular, they are against the provisions that would undo Medicaid expansion, reports Bloomberg.
The letter, addressed to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan said the AHCA "does not ensure the resources necessary to make sure no one is left out, and shifts significant new costs to states," according to the report. They also said the bill "does not meet" goals previously described by President Donald Trump regarding state flexibility and ensuring coverage.
The governors — including Ohio's John Kasich, Michigan's Rick Snyder, Nevada's Brian Sandoval and Arkansas' Asa Hutchinson — all head states that expanded Medicaid under the ACA.
The governors provided the Republican congressional leaders an alternative proposal that would preserve Medicaid expansion and enable states that chose not to expand the program under the ACA to do so under the new law. They said states should agree to accept federal money to support expansion via per-person grants or through block grants. They also believe it should be up to the states to decide whether or not to implement working requirements and asset tests for low-income people who seek to enroll.
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