LANSING (AP) - Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder and his fellow Republicans could find themselves knee-deep in health care issues Thursday when lawmakers briefly return after a five-week break. <\/p>\n
Snyder needs to get reluctant House Republicans on board with his efforts to create an online site where individuals and small businesses can comparison shop for private health insurance. <\/p>\n
Hell also likely be comparing notes with GOP legislative leaders over whether it will be a good idea in 2014 to extend Medicaid to around 500,000 more low-income residents with the help of $2 billion annually in federal aid. <\/p>\n
Both the health insurance exchange and the Medicaid expansion are required under the Affordable Care Act recently upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court. But the court also ruled that the federal government cant withhold a states entire Medicaid allotment if it doesnt participate in the expansion, and some states now say they dont plan to cover more residents. <\/p>\n
Snyder spokeswoman Sara Wurfel said the governor would like the House on Thursday to follow the lead of the GOP-controlled Senate and approve setting up the exchange. <\/p>\n
House Republicans initially blocked the administrations efforts to tap $9.8 million in federal planning money for the exchange until the court ruled, hoping the law would be struck down. The state has been granted the money but cant spend it without legislative approval. Nor can it apply for additional federal planning funds if the first grant isnt used. <\/p>\n
Now some GOP House members say any action on the exchange should be put off until November, when theyll know if GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney wins the White House and Republicans capture the U.S. Senate, making it possible some parts of the federal health care law will be repealed. <\/p>\n
Ari Adler, spokesman for GOP House Speaker Jase Bolger, said its unclear if House Republicans will approve the exchange on Thursday. <\/p>\n
Theres a push, obviously, to set up an exchange There is a separate push if we dont set one up that we start some of the planning process, Adler said. And then there is a lot of pressure to delay things a little longer. We are receiving a lot of feedback with a lot of different ideas. <\/p>\n
At least one conservative group, Americans For Prosperity-Michigan, has sent campaign literature into more than 20 House districts and three Senate districts trying to discourage lawmakers from approving the exchange or castigating senators who already have. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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Health Care On Agenda When State Lawmakers Return<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" LANSING (AP) - Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder and his fellow Republicans could find themselves knee-deep in health care issues Thursday when lawmakers briefly return after a five-week break. Continue reading