More than a dozen Republican governors-elect told GOP Congressional leaders they want more freedom to administer state programs like Medicaid and vowed to help them overturn the healthcare reform law, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal.
The new governors, who will expand GOP control to governorships in 29 states next month, met with incoming House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).
"All I want from Washington is the freedom to design some of these programs as we see fit," said John Kasich, Ohio’s next governor.
Recently, various officials from Washington, Texas, South Carolina, Wyoming and Nevada have proposed ending or altering their Medicaid programs, arguing the programs cost too much and give states little discretion. Texas, for example, has waited several years for CMS to respond to its waiver application to narrow its Medicaid program. The measure was passed by the legislature and signed by the governor.
Allowing more state Medicaid waiver applications to control costs and improve quality of the program was one of the recommendations in the final draft report of the president's deficit commission. The report still needs to be voted on by the full commission.
Read the Wall Street Journal report on Medicaid.
Read more coverage of efforts to allow states more flexibility with their Medicaid programs:
-Several States Discuss Ending Medicaid
-Federal Deficit Panel's Draft Report Includes Fee-Fix, Cuts for Hospital
-Texas State Lawmaker, Governor Propose Withdrawing From Medicaid
The new governors, who will expand GOP control to governorships in 29 states next month, met with incoming House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).
"All I want from Washington is the freedom to design some of these programs as we see fit," said John Kasich, Ohio’s next governor.
Recently, various officials from Washington, Texas, South Carolina, Wyoming and Nevada have proposed ending or altering their Medicaid programs, arguing the programs cost too much and give states little discretion. Texas, for example, has waited several years for CMS to respond to its waiver application to narrow its Medicaid program. The measure was passed by the legislature and signed by the governor.
Allowing more state Medicaid waiver applications to control costs and improve quality of the program was one of the recommendations in the final draft report of the president's deficit commission. The report still needs to be voted on by the full commission.
Read the Wall Street Journal report on Medicaid.
Read more coverage of efforts to allow states more flexibility with their Medicaid programs:
-Several States Discuss Ending Medicaid
-Federal Deficit Panel's Draft Report Includes Fee-Fix, Cuts for Hospital
-Texas State Lawmaker, Governor Propose Withdrawing From Medicaid