Congratulations to Governor Snyder
Michigan Governor Rick Snyder deserves special notice and acknowledgement for the courage and focus he displayed in his decision not to sign on to the letter signed by all other Republican governors, asking for changes to the Medicaid program and advocating for the repeal of the Affordable Care Act.
I am sure Governor Snyder disagrees with some provisions of the Affordable Care Act—and it may not reflect his preferred approach to dealing with health care reform in this country.
But his rationale for not signing the letter is admirable. He sees the debate as a distraction from the very real importance of focusing on how to improve health care for Michigan citizens.
His focus is rightly where it should be: on how to make things work. He wants Michigan to be seen as a role model for effective implementation, and for doing what needs to be done to reduce the number of uninsured and improve the operation of Medicaid.
Next week, our Center will be releasing a report on the state of health care access in our state. The survey underlines the importance of Governor Snyder’s focus: the need to improve access to care for the uninsured and strengthen the Medicaid program. Those without health coverage are suffering, and the data show that.
Governor Snyder’s courage—in moving forward to help expand coverage, and in taking this position against considerable pressure—is a great thing for our state, and as citizens, we should all be grateful.