AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) - Maine’s Republican governor says that he wants the state to look into withdrawing from the federal health care law known as “Obamacare.”
But the state can’t actually withdraw from a federal law.
Gov. Paul LePage told WVOM-FM on Tuesday that he wants to work with legislators to just “do our own thing” and suggested Maine’s workers’ compensation insurance system could serve as a model for the federal government.
“I think we’re probably going to have to go at it alone,” LePage said. “And what’s the federal government going to do? They go hide, they don’t want to do anything. So we have to take care of our people.”
The governor said the law, officially known as the Affordable Care Act, is not sustainable. He said Republicans who want to wait until the health care overhaul implodes are hurting the American people and should be voted out of office.
“You’re telling people, ’Let it fail so American people can get hurt more, and when they get hurt more, maybe we’ll do something,’” he said.
LePage said that’s about as sensible as jumping off of a bridge.
There’s another option for the LePage administration: a new waiver that allows states to avoid certain aspects of the Affordable Care Act.
Such a waiver could loosen restrictions on how a state can use Affordable Care Act funding, said Matt Fiedler, a fellow at the Brookings Institution.
But it’s not easy to get a waiver, particularly one that would allow a state to run its own health care program.
States would need to demonstrate their plan would cover as many people and that coverage would be at least as comprehensive and affordable. The plan also must not increase the federal deficit.
“I think it would be a tall order,” Fielder said.
Vermont, Massachusetts, California, Hawaii and Alaska have all asked for such waivers, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures
In December, Hawaii received the first and only waiver so far, freeing it from the requirement that it operate a health insurance marketplace for small businesses. Hawaii wants to use the money for a state fund that helps small businesses offer health coverage.
The Trump administration this month said it’s considering Alaska’s waiver for a state-funded reinsurance plan.
But Fielder said Alaska’s plan is a “much more narrow” use of a waiver than LePage’s vague idea for Maine.
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