Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Former Ky. Governor Launches Drive To Stop GOP's Rollback Of Health Care Initiatives
The New York Times: Kentucky Ex-Governor Aims To Halt Rollback Of Obamacare Changes
The former governor who made Kentucky a national leader in health care expansion under the Affordable Care Act is moving to protect that legacy from his successor, who has set out to dismantle parts of it. Steven L. Beshear, the former Democratic governor, announced on Thursday the creation of a nonprofit group, Save Kentucky Healthcare, to marshal opposition to changes being made by Gov. Matt Bevin, a Republican who took office in December. (Perez-Pena, 2/11)
The Associated Press: Health Care Battle Brewing Between Governors In Kentucky
Kentucky's two most recent governors went to war over the state's health care system Thursday, raising the stakes in a battle that could tarnish the legacy of the Obama administration's health care law. Former Kentucky Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear formed a tax-exempt organization that will pay for an online campaign he said will "educate voters" about Republican Gov. Matt Bevin's plans to make fewer people eligible for Medicaid and to dismantle a state program where some can purchase private insurance plans at a discount. Bevin said he was amused that Beshear "seems offended by the idea that I would keep a campaign promise," adding it "tells you a fair bit about ... why I won." (Beam, 2/11)
Louisville (Ky.) Courier-Journal: Beshear Launches Petition To Save Ky Health Care
The campaign comes as Beshear's successor, Gov. Matt Bevin, has announced plans to dismantle Kentucky's nationally known health insurance exchange and restructure the Medicaid expansion Beshear enacted by executive order under the Affordable Care Act. Beshear, on the website, calls on Kentucky to support the changes that have added health coverage to more than 500,000 people and helped Kentucky achieve the sharpest drop of uninsured residents in the nation. (Yetter, 2/11)
