Walker Stands Firm On Medicaid Expansion Decision, Even As Other Governors Accept Funds

Gov. Scott Walker said he won’t reconsider his decision to reject federal funds to expand Medicaid, even as yet another Midwest Republican governor has announced plans to accept the money.

Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, who like Walker is mulling over a run for president, announced that his administration won approval of a federal waiver to accept Affordable Care Act dollars for its own unique version of Medicaid.

When Walker was asked whether he might consider something similar, the governor said no, and that Wisconsin’s plan was better.

“We found a way to eliminate the wait list for people living in poverty to gain access to health care through Medicaid,” said Walker.

Citizen Action’s Robert Kraig said Walker should learn from Indiana’s example.

“It shows that a pragmatic, conservative governor can enter into a negotiation with the federal government and achieve what they want to achieve and still take this extra money that’s on the table,” said Kraig.

Wisconsin is now the only state in the Great Lakes region to have rejected federal money to expand Medicaid.