Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., on Tuesday dismissed Obamacare coverage in his state as a massive expansion of free care under Medicaid, and only sparse coverage under plans for which people paid.
“It is easy to offer stuff that is free, but it is just irresponsible,” Paul said, referring to the decision by former Gov. Steve Beshear to expand Medicaid in his state. Beshear will give the Democratic response to Trump’s joint congressional address Tuesday night.
Paul said that about 16 million people in the state got insurance under Obamacare, 14 million of which got Medicaid.
Kentucky was one of the few red states to not only expand Medicaid but also create its own state-run exchange called Kynect, which was shut down under current Gov. Matt Bevin.
Paul bristled when asked on MSNBC how his own state is viewed as an Obamacare success story. Paul responded that Obamacare “is basically the Medicaid expansion.”
Paul also reiterated that he will not vote for any Republican plan to repeal and replace Obamacare that includes refundable tax credits, which a leaked GOP draft dated Feb. 10 would do. “That is simply subsidies by another name,” Paul said.
Paul is among several conservatives in the House and Senate which are opposed to the GOP’s use of tax credits to help pay down the cost of insurance for customers on the individual market, which is for people that don’t get insurance through work.
The GOP leadership hopes to introduce a final Obamacare repeal bill as early as this week.
