Ha! Gov. Christie already implementing ACA Medicaid expansion

Yesterday Ezra Klein wrote a great article about the 5 states that are already implementing the Medicaid expansion that is part of the ACA. I was particularly interested because my home state of Minnesota is one of the 5. I recalled that when our budget forecast went from a $5 billion deficit to an $876 million surplus, one of the things credited for that was our early Medicaid expansion.

According to a Kaiser report, the 4 other states are California, Connecticut, New Jersey and Washington (as well as the District of Columbia).

Current Medicaid regulations do not allow states to use federal funds to cover childless adults. As part of ACA, states were allowed to get a waiver on that. And apparently Gov. Christie's New Jersey took them up on that. As a result 53,490 New Jersians who otherwise wouldn't have health insurance now do.

But of course the Governor still feels the need to run the party line about what a bad idea this all is.

Today’s Supreme Court decision is disappointing and I still believe this is the wrong approach for the people of New Jersey who should be able to make their own judgments about health care.

Ummm Governor, the problem isn't about people being "able to make their own judgements about health care." The problem is finding a way to afford it...hence the AFFORDABLE Care Act.