Medicaid expansion deepens GOP intraparty rifts

The different positions taken by various Republican governors on the health law's Medicaid expansion underscore the political divisions in play.

The Washington Post: GOP Governors' Endorsements Of Medicaid Expansion Deepen Rifts Within Party
Republican fissures over the expansion of Medicaid, a critical piece of the 2010 health care law designed to provide coverage to millions of uninsured Americans, continue to deepen, with battles in Arizona and elsewhere showing just how bitter the divisions have become (Somashekhar, 6/2).

The Associated Press: Republican Vs. Republican On Covering Uninsured
It's Republican versus Republican in the latest round of political battles over health care. Conservative Republican legislators in major states are trying to block efforts by more pragmatic governors of their own party to accept health insurance for more low-income residents under President Barack Obama's health care law. Unlike their congressional counterparts, who've misfired in repeated attempts to torpedo the law, state Republicans may well sink the expansion of Medicaid in populous states such as Florida and Michigan (Alonso-Zaldivar and Christie, 6/1).

The Hill: GOP Governor Invites Sebelius To Meet On Medicaid Expansion
Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder (R) said Friday that he asked Health Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to meet with state officials on a proposal to cap Medicaid benefits for able-bodied adults. Officials remain divided on whether to pursue the Medicaid expansion available under President Obama's health care law, a topic that would inevitably figure in the conversation with Sebelius. Medicaid issues are at the center of the state's policy agenda before the legislature adjourns for the summer in late June (Viebeck, 6/1).

The Associated Press: Iowa Officials Move Ahead With Health Plan
A legislative compromise has been struck on low-income health care, but now Iowa starts the complicated process of putting the plan in place. On Monday the state will kick off a series of public hearings to explain the proposed health care plan recently approved by the state House and Senate. The hearings are a step the state must go through to get federal approval (Lucey, 6/2).

The Associated Press: Wisconsin: Deals Close On Tax Cut, Medicaid, Vouchers
Voucher schools would expand statewide, income taxes would be cut by more than $500 million and Wisconsin would reject a federal Medicaid expansion even though it would save the state money under a broad agreement being worked out between Gov. Scott Walker and Republican legislative leaders. Walker, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos and Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald were still negotiating details and talking with other Republican lawmakers to reach a compromise that can be voted on Tuesday (Bauer, 6/2).