FixHealthCarePolicy

Republican Governors Association Letters on Health Reform Crippling States

The Republican Governors Association this week released excerpts of letters that 19 Republican governors have sent expressing their concern about the health reform proposals that are being considered in Congress.

Those proposals include expanding Medicaid – the federal health program for the poor that is administered and partly financed by the states — as a way to increase health coverage. Medicaid expenses already are bankrupting some states and eating up a large share of state budgets. Further expansions could force cuts to state budgets or tax increases, the association said.

“The American people deserve to know the true costs associated with the so-called health-care reform proposals,” said RGA Vice Chairman and Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty. “That’s why so many governors are speaking out. Governors understand that states can’t afford unfunded mandates passed along by the federal government and their impact on the economy.”

See the excerpts from the other governors here.

Tags: governors, health reform, Medicaid, state budgets