Gov. Bill Walker tried to drive ObamaCare’s Medicaid expansion through the Legislature earlier this year, but his expansion bill died in the House and the Legislature passed a budget that prohibited the governor from acting unilaterally to expand Medicaid. In spite of agreeing to hold off until 2016 to renew the ObamaCare expansion debate, Walker decided to force the state into expansion on his own last week.
In response, radio ads sponsored by Opportunity Solutions Project began airing last week, encouraging Alaskans to urge their state lawmakers to stand up to Walker’s power grab. The ads note the experience other states have had with ObamaCare’s Medicaid expansion: exploding enrollment, spiraling costs, and reduced funds available for services such as education and public safety.
“Gov. Walker’s ObamaCare expansion isn’t about doing the right thing for Alaska, it’s about one man breaking the rules because he didn’t get his way,” said Tarren Bragdon, Opportunity Solutions Project CEO.
“At Opportunity Solutions Project, we’ve chronicled the catastrophe of ObamaCare’s Medicaid expansion in states all across the country. Alaskans now have the opportunity to stop ObamaCare from coming into their own state. That’s why we’re sounding the alarm that ObamaCare’s Medicaid expansion is a disaster for patients, health care providers, and taxpayers.”
The ads encourage Alaskans to call Speaker Mike Chenault at 800-469-3779, and President Kevin Meyer at 866-465-4945 to show their support in putting Alaska, not Washington, first. The ads are scheduled to run through the rest of the month and can be heard here.