Rick Perry Says NO Medicaid Expansion in Texas

If there were any doubts that Governor Rick Perry wants Texas to have nothing to do with President Obama's Health Care overhaul, the Austin American-Statesman reports Perry has cleared the air on that once and for all.

In a statement released by Perry's Austin office, Perry says he has written a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius saying he will not implement the so-called state health insurance exchanges or expanding Medicaid under Obamacare.

"I will not be party to socializing healthcare and bankrupting my state in direct contradiction to our Constitution and our founding principles of limited government."

Perry's rejection of the major elements of Obamacare comes on the heels of an alarming survey from the Texas Medical Association.  The TMA's bi-ennial survey of Texas doctors shows less than one third -- 31 percent -- say they will accept new Medicaid patients.  This means un-insured Texans who depend upon Medicaid, and who do not now have a doctor, will have a very hard time finding one.

TMA President Dr. Michael Speer says treating Medicaid patients costs doctors more than they can afford because physician reimbursements are so low.  Doctors are forced to limit their Medicaid patient load so they can keep their doors open. The same thing is happening to Medicare. The TMA survey shows only 58 percent of Texas doctors are now accepting new Medicare patients, and for the same reason.

Here in Lufkin, only a handful of doctors will take new Medicare patients, and many have stopped treating Medicare patients altogether.