Republican Governor Jan Brewer is expanding Medicaid in Arizona under Obamacare for some very practical reasons (excerpt below from the Yuma Sun):

“In the end, Brewer felt she could not turn away nearly $8 [b]illion in federal assistance over the next four years, creating and saving thousands of jobs and protecting rural and “safety-net” hospitals, she said.

“Our hospital presidents and CEOs understand the growing cost they face in providing care for the uninsured. These costs are real and they are not just absorbed to the hospital’s bottom line. No, ultimately they are passed down to Arizona families” through premium increases, Brewer said.

“With my plan, we can not only begin to get a handle on these costs, we can throw a lifeline and a safety net to rural hospitals like Yuma Regional Medical Center,” she said.

In addition, Brewer said, the federal funds are needed for the state to remain competitive on national and global basis.  “I’ve never been a supporter of the Affordable Care Act. I’m uneasy with the federal government playing such a role in private individuals’ health-care decisions,” she noted.

But the decision was not about whether or not the law should exist. “It’s the law of the land. Our decision is about whether we will take the action that most benefits Arizona families and businesses,” she said.”

 Print This Post