Indiana Governor Pence shows Republicans how to embrace the ACA like a conservative

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Pence, after intensive negotiations with the Obama administration, just announced his intent to take the money Obamacare provides for Medicaid expansion and to use it on his own terms to broaden health-care coverage for the working poor.

For Pence, a happy warrior for conservatism and a possible 2016 presidential contender, the reason is pragmatic: If he could get money under an Obamacare waiver to enlarge a market-driven health-care program in his state, there would be no point in cutting off his nose to spite his face.

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He wants to broaden the “Healthy Indiana” plan started by his predecessor Mitch Daniels ® by using financial incentives to get the working poor to contribute to their health coverage under a private alternative to Medicaid. The Obama administration appears likely to grant Indiana a waiver for the experiment — and if it works, other states will be free to follow the example.

Starting in 2017, states will be able to experiment further, securing exemptions from problematic provisions of the law such as the individual mandate, the employer mandate and the health-care exchanges. If Republican governors don’t like Obamacare’s requirements, all they have to do is come up with an alternative that provides comparable care and coverage.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/dana-milbank-indiana-gov-mike-pence-is-taking-obamacare-money-and-running-with-it/2014/05/19/7ae33bbe-dfa1-11e3-8dcc-d6b7fede081a_story.html