Indiana To Expand Medicaid But Gets Federal Nod To Implement Some Conservative Ideas
The plan, announced by Gov. Mike Pence who has been a strict opponent of the federal health law, will require participants to contribute to the cost of their care. Other Republican-led states may also consider this plan.
The New York Times:
Indiana Will Allow Entry To Medicaid For A Price
After a lengthy back-and-forth, the Obama administration has agreed to let Gov. Mike Pence of Indiana, a Republican, expand Medicaid on his own terms, including some that have not been allowed before under federal rules. (Goodnough, 1/27)
The Washington Post:
Indiana Latest Red State To Opt Into Medicaid Expansion
As newly empowered Republicans in Washington are contemplating ways to unwind the president’s health-care law, another Republican governor with conservative credentials announced Tuesday morning he reached a deal with the Obama administration to accept Medicaid expansion funding in his state. Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, a former member of House leadership who’s viewed as a possible 2016 presidential candidate, announced he and the feds after months of negotiations agreed to a plan that will cover an estimated 350,000 low-income adult Hoosiers earning under 138 percent of the poverty level, or about $16,105 for an individual. It makes Indiana the 28th state (plus the District of Columbia) to opt into the voluntary coverage expansion. (Millman, 1/27)
Kaiser Health News:
Indiana Medicaid Expansion May Tempt Other GOP-Led States
The deal reached Tuesday between the Obama administration and Indiana Gov. Mike Pence to expand Medicaid under the president’s health law should help sway reluctant Republican officials in other states because it imposes new costs on poor adults, promotes healthy behaviors and relies on financing from smokers and hospitals instead of state taxpayers, health experts say. (Galewitz, 1/28)
Indianapolis Star:
Gov. Pence Gets Federal OK For Medicaid Alternative
Pence said the Healthy Indiana Plan 2.0, a revamped version of a program started by then-Gov. Mitch Daniels, goes beyond standard Medicaid expansion by requiring that participants contribute to the cost of their care. "I believe Medicaid is not a program we should expand. It's a program that we should reform – and that's exactly what we're accomplishing," Pence said Tuesday at a speech at St. Vincent Health, announcing the plan's approval. "HIP 2.0 is not intended to be a long-term entitlement program. It's intended to be a safety net that aligns incentives with human aspirations." (Rudavsky and Groppe, 1/27)
Indianapolis Star:
Who Will Benefit From Indiana's HIP 2.0?
Indiana will become the 28th state to expand Medicaid, Gov. Mike Pence announced Tuesday. The new program, which Pence has named HIP 2.0, will be run differently than the state's traditional Medicaid program. Here's a look at the details. (Groppe, 1/27)
Los Angeles Times:
Indiana Becomes Latest State To Expand Medicaid Through Obamacare
Indiana on Tuesday became the latest state to expand its Medicaid program through the Affordable Care Act, as another Republican governor agreed to accept federal dollars to extend government health coverage to low-income state residents. ... Indiana’s move, which had been closely watched nationally, marks a significant victory for the Obama administration. It has been working to persuade Republican state leaders to back coverage expansions made possible through the 2010 health law often called Obamacare. (Levey, 1/27)
The Wall Street Journal:
Indiana Governor To Expand Medicaid Coverage
Indiana on Tuesday announced plans to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act after securing concessions from the Obama administration that could pave the way for other Republican-led states to widen health coverage for low-income residents. Gov. Mike Pence is the latest Republican to opt into the health law’s expansion of Medicaid despite his party’s opposition to the legislation. His move could prompt up to a half-dozen other GOP-led states to follow suit, including Florida, Tennessee and Alabama, by giving them a model to follow. Under Indiana’s agreement, the state can require some Medicaid enrollees to contribute toward their care. (Radnofsky and Campo-Flores, 1/27)
The Associated Press:
Indiana Wins Federal OK For State-Run Medicaid Alternative
Indiana has received federal approval to expand health coverage to about 350,000 uninsured residents through a state-run program Gov. Mike Pence said Tuesday will help the state's working poor families. Surrounded by state officials and staffers at an Indianapolis hospital, Pence announced that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services had approved Indiana's waiver request for the plan his administration calls HIP 2.0. (Callahan, 1/27)
CNN:
Indiana Gov. Mike Pence Spotlights Conservative Embrace Of Medicaid
Indiana Gov. Mike Pence is expanding Medicaid -- with a few conservative changes he's touting as big reforms to the program. The potential Republican 2016 presidential candidate announced his decision to embrace the Medicaid expansion included in President Barack Obama's health care law in a speech Tuesday morning. It'll make health coverage available to 350,000 more Hoosiers starting Feb. 1, he said. (Bradner, 1/27)
Politico:
Mike Pence’s Perils On Obamacare
It’s a policy advocates say will ensure hundreds of thousands of Indiana residents get access to health care but that conservatives argue will blow a hole in federal and state budgets. And it’s just the kind of ammunition opposing candidates are likely to deploy in a crowded presidential primary as they try to distinguish themselves. (Cheney, 1/27)
Politico:
Pence Scores Conservative Points On Medicaid Expansion
Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, a potential 2016 presidential contender, announced Tuesday that he had won federal approval for a form of Medicaid expansion that includes elements championed by conservatives. (Pradhan, 1/27)
