"Perry Rejects Health Care for Texas" - The Austin Chronicle

In the wake of President Obama's highly controversial health care bill, Texans are experiencing a health controversy of our own. In so many words, Perry has refused to enforce the Affordable care act and leaves it to the federal government to enact it. As many of us already know, Texas has the highest percentage of uninsured citizens. In fact, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports that Texas has the worst healthcare of any state. In fact, I was at my father's news desk at KVUE when this story was first rang up about our depressing healthcare results. Additionally, Perry does not plan to expand Medicaid to family below the 133% below the federal poverty line.Consequently, this leaves 1.5 million citizens eligible for medicaid without healthcare. Perry defended himself saying  "I will not be party to socializing healthcare and bankrupting my state in direct contradiction to our Constitution and our founding principles of limited government." Interestingly enough, the medicaid expansion would only $6 billion a year compared to $10.2 billion for uncompressed care, which many are arguing to be not all that conservative. 


Personally I find Perry's reluctance to expand Medicaid somewhat stubborn and misplaced. Understandably he is trying to make a political point, yet with many Texans in need, it causes more problems than solutions. You can call it state's rights or what have you, but a $6 billion vs. $10.2 billion cost with the benefit of aiding citizens is a no-brainer. 


http://www.austinchronicle.com/blogs/news/2012-07-09/perry-rejects-health-care-for-texas/