Views of Governors and Insurance Commissioners on ACA Repeal and Changes to Medicaid: Responses to a Congressional Request for State Input on Health Reform
This brief summarizes responses from governors and insurance commissioners in 35 states, including DC, to a request from members in the House of Representatives for state input on health care reforms. These responses provide insight into state leaders’ views on repeal and replacement of the ACA and the changes Congress is considering making to the financing and structure of Medicaid. It finds that respondents have mixed views on the ACA and potential repeal and replacement of the ACA; most respondents expressed cautions or concerns about repeal, which are shared among both Republicans and Democrats and those who oppose and support appeal; more respondents expressed concerns about capped Medicaid financing than indicated support, and those that expressed support included significant caveats; less than half of respondents, mostly Republican, cited interest in increased state Medicaid flexibility; over half of respondents supported returning authority to states to regulate insurance markets; and few respondents expressed interest in allowing the sale of insurance across state lines, HSAs, or high risk pools.