Cracks are starting to appear in the lingering Republican
opposition to Obamacare.
In Washington, the House Republicans have apparently
decided that fruitlessly voting dozens of times to repeal the Affordable Care
Act in 2012 is now considered a distraction in 2013.
In the statehouses, 17 legislatures have applied for federal help in
establishing a state exchange – the online marketplaces where the uninsured
will shop for a health care policy. Four of those applications came from Red
States – Mississippi, Utah, Idaho and Nevada.
(Of course, the Michigan Legislature foolishly refused to
establish an exchange, forcing Gov. Snyder to scramble to negotiate a deal with
Washington for a joint fed-state exchange. States that don’t set up an exchange
will use a one-size-fits-all exchange created by the federal government.)
Closer to home, the Warren-based Michigan Business and
Professional Association has compiled an excellent 12-page guide for small
business owners that helps them navigate through the dawn of Obamacare. The
document is written from a thoroughly objective standpoint, including
information that may shock some business owners – the Affordable Care Act
actually offers subsidies to help small companies provide health insurance
coverage for their workers.
The MBPA guide is also highly recommended for right-wing
critics who still think Obamacare is a government takeover.
In a story written for Kaiser Health News, in
collaboration with USA Today, Phil Galewitz
lays out the current political playing field:
“Two months ago, Republican opposition (to Obamacare
implementation) was nearly uniform across the country.  But cracks are
appearing and they will widen, predicts Larry Jacobs, director of the Center
for the Study of Politics and Governance at the University of Minnesota. ‘The
arc of partisan fever is beginning to recede and pragmatism is beginning to
come to the fore,’ he says.
“Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer, one of the (ACA) law’s most
vocal opponents, shocked the GOP-controlled legislature on Jan. 14 when she
backed the health law’s optional Medicaid expansion. Brewer became the fourth
Republican governor and 23rd overall to embrace extending Medicaid to cover
residents earning up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level ($32,000 for a
family of four). The other GOP states to sign on are Nevada, New Mexico and
North Dakota.
“Most states are expected to decide on expanding the
program by late spring.  As many as 17 million people would become
eligible for Medicaid if all states participate.”
What Brewer, a tea party favorite, finally realized is that the feds will pay
the entire cost of the Medicaid expansion for the first three years and 90
percent thereafter.
In Mississippi, one of the nation’s poorest and least
healthy states, Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney realized that establishing an exchange is a win-win for
the state.
Federal grants paid for the creation of the Mississippi
exchange (cleverly labeled One, Mississippi) and ongoing operations and
maintenance were contracted out so no state employees were added. The result is
a highly professional website that offers the uninsured a choice of 48 health
care policies in advance of the fall sign-up period.
Yet, Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant still stands in
opposition, according to the KHN report, vowing that Mississippians will never
be allowed to use the exchange. Worse yet, in a state with Medicaid guidelines that
are shamefully strict, Bryant is refusing to allow the Obamacare expansion of
Medicaid eligibility.
To get a look at the Mississippi exchange click here. I randomly started out with the 39773 zip code, clicked on “Get Quotes” and then filled in a few blanks, using Adams County as my place of residence.

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