Dylan Scott has some new reporting today suggesting that key health care industry players are pessimistic about the prospects for Medicaid expansion in the states that initially opted out under Obamacare.
Here’s how one trade group official in a key state candidly put it:
What I’m really struggling with is — I don’t even know how to talk about expanding Medicaid without just pissing Republicans the hell off and making them think I’m part of the problem.
These trade groups are a key part of the coalition of health care advocates pushing for Medicaid expansion. They bring political and economic clout, and undermine the usual GOP-business alliance. But the political environment around Obamacare is so toxic, they just don’t see a way forward on expansion in their states in 2014.
