Scott Walker, in fight for political life, slow-walks Medicaid work rules His hesitation comes as m
Knowing Walker--IF god forbid, wins, he will come back with a vengeance!! Like Trump, Walker is vindictive!
If he loses, IMHO, he will call a special session and get anything through he wants.
Scott Walker, in fight for political life, slow-walks Medicaid work rules
His hesitation comes as many Republicans have retreated from health care on the campaign trail.
https://www.politico.com/story/2018/10/16/scott-walker-wisconsin-medicaid-midterms-903154
By DAN DIAMOND
10/16/2018 05:06 AM EDT
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker sought for years to put Medicaid recipients to work. Now federal officials have given him most of what he wanted, but he's delaying the process for fear the changes will doom his flailing reelection bid, say three federal officials familiar with the deliberations.
Wisconsin's been stalling, said one official, adding the Trump administration has been ready to formally approve and announce the states new work requirements for weeks. Its ended up being a lot of hurry-up-and-wait.
...............................
Walker's hesitation to impose the strict Medicaid work rules comes as many Republicans have retreated from health care on the campaign trail and as Democrats hammer the message the GOP is working to strip health protections from millions of people. Democrats have an 18-point national advantage on health care, according to a Washington Post/ABC News poll released on Sunday.
The calculus is that focusing voters attentions on health care in a year when Republicans are playing defense on the issue is likely to hurt Walker with independent voters who are expected to decide the election. The two-term governor is effectively tied with or trailing Democratic candidate Tony Evers in multiple polls ahead of the Nov. 6 election.
Democratic messaging on health care has already resonated with some voters in Wisconsin, where Walker supports a lawsuit to overturn the Affordable Care Act and has aggressively reined in spending on social programs the focus of some Democratic attack ads.
Walker's formal request to the Trump administration last year to overhaul Medicaid included provisions that were more aggressive than those sought by other GOP states part of the governors effort to roll back Wisconsins safety-net programs.
..........
Medicaids top official effectively teased the announcement last month.
...........................
Scott Walker
Gov. Scott Walker's formal request to the Trump administration last year to overhaul Medicaid included provisions that were more aggressive than those sought by other GOP states. | Scott Bauer/AP Photo