The Obama administration rejected many conservative politicians’ attempts to alter the health-care program for the poor. With Trump in the White House, they may finally get their way.
By Mattie Quinn | Governing
While the Republican-controlled Congress is trying to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA), governors on both sides of the aisle are anxiously awaiting to see what happens. In the meantime, some are trying to make their own changes to the health-care system in their state — and have the best chance of doing so in years.
To customize their Medicaid programs, states have been able to ask the federal government for waivers for decades. The Obama administration rejected many waivers, concluding that they were unconstitutional or would drastically limit poor people’s ability to afford health insurance. For example, many states sought to make employment a requirement for Medicaid, but the Obama administration declined every such request.
