Exclusive—Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds: Obamacare Block Grant Plan ‘Can Work for the Repeal and Replacement of Obamacare’

Iowa Republican Governor Kim Reynolds endorsed the Obamacare block grant repeal plan in an exclusive statement to Breitbart News. Gov. Reynolds said that the Obamacare block grant plan “can work for the repeal and replacement of Obamacare.”

Gov. Reynolds joins a growing coalition of Republican governors who support the new Obamacare repeal plan. Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, Utah Governor Gary Herbert, and Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin support the Obamacare repeal plan.

Reynolds argued that Obamacare has not worked for Iowans and that their state waiver to the federal government will only provide a temporary aid to their local health care problems.

“Obamacare is unaffordable, unworkable and unsustainable. Here in Iowa, the Obamacare individual insurance market is collapsing, leaving 72,000 people with no options and skyrocketing costs in 2018,” Reynolds said. “Our state recently submitted a stopgap measure to the federal government for approval. The measure stops the immediate collapse created by Obamacare and provides a short-term health insurance solution for thousands of Iowa entrepreneurs, farmers, and retirees.”

The Iowa governor continued, “Long-term, Congress needs to replace Obamacare with market-driven health reform that’s affordable for everyday Iowans and empowers consumers. If Congress pursues block grants, they need to adequately fund them and provide maximum flexibility and control for states to sustain their Medicaid programs.”

Iowa remains one of the many states that expanded Medicaid under Obamacare. Under the new block grant program, states such as Iowa would gain greater control over their Medicaid program as well as more flexibility to deliver alternative, more affordable health care to its citizens.

Under the current projection from the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS), all of Iowa’s counties will only have one Obamacare exchange insurer.

Gov. Reynolds said that the 1990’s welfare reform worked because states were given enough flexibility and funding to manage their local entitlement programs. Reynolds charged, “Welfare reform passed in the 90’s worked because states were given maximum authority along with adequate funding. This model can work for the repeal and replacement of Obamacare.”