Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett, one of many Republicans to rail against Obamacare, may now join his fellow GOP governors for a different cause: accepting the federal government’s terms and jumping aboard the Medicaid money train.
Politico reports Mr. Corbett is feeling pressure from hospital officials and advocacy groups to take the federal money to pay for mandated Medicaid expansions. After all, other Republicans have changed their tune: New Jersey’s Chris Christie said yes to the feds, and so did Ohio’s John Kasich.
And just one day after Mr. Christie made his announcement to take the money — and in doing so, becoming the eighth GOP governor to back the Medicaid expansion — Mr. Corbett requested a meeting with Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, Politico reported.
Mr. Corbett’s office said the as-yet unscheduled meeting doesn’t mean he’s changing his mind on Medicaid. But the pressure is mounting; as Politico reports, all the surrounding states have caved to the pressure and agreed to the federal terms.
Democrat state Sen. Vincent Hughes likens Pennsylvania to a desert island, Politico reports.
“Pennsylvania is now essentially surrounded,” he said, according to the report. “Every state around Pennsylvania has moved in this direction, and we’re standing out here by ourselves.”
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• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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