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Eye On The Right

Federal Health Law Helping Cash-Strapped States -- And Right-wing State Leaders Lining up to Benefit

Charles Monaco on September 9, 2010 - 12:34pm

While the right wing continues their rhetoric to repeal, many of the same states calling loudly in both legislatures and courts for the law's rejection are simultaneously preparing to implement it and benefiting from the opportunities the health care overhaul provides them. In fact, a Department of Health and Human Services release revealed that, of the 20 states who have joined the constitutionally dubious multi-state lawsuit seeking to overturn the health care law, eight of them - Arizona, Idaho, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, Nebraska, Nevada, and Washington - were claiming subsidies for retired state government employees provided by the very law their states are arguing should be thrown out by the courts.

Health Care Lawsuits Politicized by Right-Wing, Losing Steam in the States

Charles Monaco on May 6, 2010 - 12:14pm
In the weeks following the signing of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, lawsuits challenging the constitutionality of health care reform were joined by multiple, conservative Attorneys General from states across the nation, despite widespread condemnation that such challenges were frivolous, wasteful, and almost certain to fail in the courts.  In early April, Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius commented that she believed the lawsuits had "more to do with politics than policy."

WA: Legislators Move to Block Attorney General McKenna Lawsuit Against Federal Health Law

Julie Bero on March 29, 2010 - 2:12pm

Democrats have tightened the purse strings on Attorney General Rob McKenna in an attempt to limit Washington's role in challenging health care reform.

At lawmakers’ behest, the governor’s budget office has subjected the Republican’s agency to a freeze on state contracts, canceling an exemption awarded days earlier.

State leaders might go further. Gov. Chris Gregoire said Wednesday that she is open to an idea being weighed by legislative leaders: a budget proviso that would block McKenna from spending state money on a 13-state lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the health care reform effort signed into law Tuesday by President Barack Obama.

Conservatives Introduce Anti-Health Reform Bills in the States

Adam Thompson on December 10, 2009 - 1:59pm
Under the guise of "choice" in health care, conservatives are launching a state-based campaign to derail health reform.  With support from the conservative American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), conservative legislators in at least 24 states are introducing a bill that says no one shall be required to purchase health care from the government or a government-defined health plan or be prevented from buying private insurance, and that residents shall have the right to pay for health care directly out of pocket.