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Tomblin’s Medicaid decision questioned

Criticism of Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin’s decision to expand Medicaid came quickly Thursday from state Attorney General Patrick Morrisey and West Virginia Republican Party Chairman Conrad Lucas.

“While I have a great deal of respect for the Governor and the difficult choices he must make, I disagree with this decision,” Morrisey said in a news release that came from his office.

(Click hear for full Morrisey statement)

The first-term Republican AG also described himself as being “deeply concerned that Obamacare and this expansion will have a very negative impact on economic growth in our state and nation.”

Morrisey’s legal work before his election last year included efforts to overturn Obamacare.

GOP leader Lucas said Thursday on MetroNews Talkline the expansion of Medicaid puts the nation deeper in debt and will one day leave West Virginia with more to pay for health care.

“This will result in West Virginia having to pick up the tab as time goes on and on and we’re not a state that can afford that either,” Lucas said.

Morrisey also predicts the state will be left paying for the expansion.

Despite the federal government’s promise to pick up most of the tab, the truth is nothing in life is ever free. While paying for the state’s portion of this expansion will be daunting enough today, does anyone really believe that the federal government will maintain its same level of Medicaid funding in the future when it is staring at a $16 trillion debt and desperately needs to reduce spending?”

Lucas says Gov. Tomblin didn’t have to expand the program. He says other states are fighting it.

“States that are fiscally responsible, such as Texas, refusing this Medicaid expansion because of the ultimate spending increases that they know will come on top on any additional taxes which will already know are going to exist,” Lucas said.

Morrisey, who has spent much of his legal career on health care issues, says he believes the state should take steps to help the uninsured and needy but Obamacare and Medicaid expansion aren’t the way to do it.

“We must first take steps to reduce our spiraling health care costs before committing to new, expensive, unfunded liabilities,” Morrisey said.





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