Rick Perry's Medicaid Waiver Letter Jabs At Obama

Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R)^[1] has made it clear in the past that when it comes to Medicaid expansion, his state will not be participating.

On Monday, Perry added some fire to that point, writing a letter requesting a federal waiver so Texas can freely reform its system under Obamacare. According to the Texas Tribune, Perry is asking^[2] the federal government for a block grant -- which would give Texas "the flexibility" to amplify four key areas: personal responsibility, reduced dependence on the government, lower program costs and improved coordination of health care.

“Seemingly, the president and his administration are content to simply throw money at a problem and hope that any problems will resolve themselves,” Perry wrote, according to the Tribune. "My response, and the response of the Texas Legislature, has been crystal clear: Texas will not expand Medicaid under Obamacare.”

Last spring, Perry went so far as to tie Medicaid expansion to one of America's lighter-hearted traditions. In an April 1 statement released in tandem with Sens. John Cornyn (R) and Ted Cruz (R), Perry called the law a "misguided, and ultimately doomed, attempt to mask the shortcomings of Obamcare." Appearing at the Texas state Capitol, Reuters reported that he compared the topic directly to April Fool's Day.^{[3] [4]}

"Seems to me April Fool's Day is the perfect day to discuss something as foolish as Medicaid expansion, and to remind everyone that Texas will not be held hostage by the Obama administration's attempt to force us into the fool's errand of adding more than a million Texans to a broken system," Perry said.

Perry is not the only GOP governor immersed in drama over Medicaid expansion. Last week, a lawsuit was filed against Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer (R)^[5] . Lawyers accused her and a bipartisan legislative coalition of violating the state's Constitution^[6] by passing the expansion without two-thirds approval from the state Legislature, the Arizona Republic reported.

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• 
  

  Kansas

  
  

  Federal minimum in Kansas: 26 percent of Federal Poverty Line
  
  Unemployed parents in a family of three who earn more than $4,963.40 make too much to receive Medicaid coverage (26 percent of FPL).
  
  Employed parents in a family of three who earn more than $6,108.8 make too much to receive Medicaid coverage (32 percent of FPL).

  
  


• 
  

  Pennsylvania

  
  

  Federal minimum in Pennsylvania: 26 percent of Federal Poverty Line
  
  Unemployed parents in a family of three who earn over $4,963.40 make too much to receive Medicaid coverage (26 percent of FPL).
  
  Employed parents in a family of three who earn over $8,781.40 make too much to receive Medicaid coverage (46 percent of FPL).

  
  


• 
  

  Virginia

  
  

  Federal minimum in Virginia: 23 percent of Federal Poverty Line
  
  Unemployed parents in a family of three who earn over $4,772.50 make too much to receive Medicaid coverage (25 percent of FPL).
  
  Employed parents in a family of three who earn over $5,917.90 make too much to receive Medicaid coverage (31 percent of FPL).

  
  


• 
  

  Nevada

  
  

  Federal minimum in Nevada: 23 percent of Federal Poverty Line
  
  Unemployed parents in a family of three who earn over $4,772.50 make too much to receive Medicaid coverage (25 percent of FPL).
  
  Employed parents in a family of three who earn over $16,608.30 make too much to receive Medicaid coverage (87 percent of FPL).

  
  


• 
  

  Mississippi

  
  

  Federal minimum in Mississippi: 24 percent of Federal Poverty Line
  
  Unemployed parents in a family of three who earn over $4,581.60 make too much to receive Medicaid coverage (24 percent of FPL).
  
  Employed parents in a family of three who earn over $8,399.60 make too much to receive Medicaid coverage (44 percent of FPL).

  
  


• 
  

  Idaho

  
  

  Federal minimum in Idaho: 21 percent of Federal Poverty Line
  
  Unemployed parents in a family of three who earn over $4,008.90 make too much to receive Medicaid coverage (21 percent of FPL).
  
  Employed parents in a family of three who earn over $7,445.10 make too much to receive Medicaid coverage (39 percent of FPL).

  
  


• 
  

  Florida

  
  

  Federal minimum in Florida: 20 percent of Federal Poverty Line
  
  Unemployed parents in a family of three who earn over $3,818 make too much to receive Medicaid coverage (20 percent of FPL).
  
  Employed parents in a family of three who earn over $11,072.2 make too much to receive Medicaid coverage (58 percent of FPL).

  
  


• 
  

  Missouri

  
  

  Federal minimum in Missouri: 19 percent of Federal Poverty Line
  
  Unemployed parents in a family of three who earn over $3,627.10 make too much to receive Medicaid coverage (19 percent of FPL).
  
  Employed parents in a family of three who earn over $6,872.40 make too much to receive Medicaid coverage (36 percent of FPL).

  
  


• 
  

  Indiana

  
  

  Federal minimum in Indiana: 19 percent of Federal Poverty Line
  
  Unemployed parents in a family of three who earn over $3,627.10 make too much to receive Medicaid coverage (19 percent of FPL).
  
  Employed parents in a family of three who earn over $4,581.60 make too much to receive Medicaid coverage (24 percent of FPL).

  
  


• 
  

  West Virginia

  
  

  Federal minimum in West Virginia: 16 percent of Federal Poverty Line
  
  Unemployed parents in a family of three who earn over $3,054.40 make too much to receive Medicaid coverage (16 percent of FPL).
  
  Employed parents in a family of three who earn over $6,108.8 make too much to receive Medicaid coverage (32 percent of FPL).

  
  


• 
  

  Arkansas

  
  

  Federal minimum in Arkansas: 13 percent of Federal Poverty Line
  
  Unemployed parents in a family of three who earn over $2,481.70 make too much to receive Medicaid coverage (13 percent of FPL).
  
  Employed parents in a family of three who earn over $3,245.30 make too much to receive Medicaid coverage (17 percent of FPL).

  
  


• 
  

  Texas

  
  

  Federal minimum in Texas: 12 percent of Federal Poverty Line
  
  Unemployed parents in a family of three who earn over $2,290 make too much to receive Medicaid coverage (12 percent of FPL).
  
  Employed parents in a family of three who earn over $4963.40 make too much to receive Medicaid coverage (26 percent of FPL).

  
  


• 
  

  Louisiana

  
  

  Federal minimum in Louisiana: 11 percent of Federal Poverty Line
  
  Unemployed parents in a family of three who earn over $2,099.0 make too much to receive Medicaid coverage (11 percent of FPL).
  
  Employed parents in a family of three who earn over $4,772.50 make too much to receive Medicaid coverage (25 percent of FPL).

  
  


• 
  

  Alabama

  
  

  Federal minimum in Alabama: 11 percent of Federal Poverty Line
  
  Unemployed parents in a family of three who earn over $2,099.90 make too much to receive Medicaid coverage (11 percent of FPL).
  
  Employed parents in a family of three who earn over $4,581.60 make too much to receive Medicaid coverage (24 percent of FPL).

  
  

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References

1. ^{^} Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) (governor.state.tx.us)


2. ^{^} Perry is asking (www.texastribune.org)


3. ^{^} April 1 statement released (governor.state.tx.us)


4. ^{^} April Fool's Day. (www.huffingtonpost.com)


5. ^{^} Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer (R) (www.huffingtonpost.com)


6. ^{^} violating the state's Constitution (www.azcentral.com)


7. ^{^} Send us a tip (www.huffingtonpost.com)


8. ^{^} Send us a photo or video (www.huffingtonpost.com)


9. ^{^} Suggest a correction (www.huffingtonpost.com)