FROM STATES THAT EXPANDED MEDICAID UNDER THE AFFORDABLE
CARE ACT. REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR OF ARKANSAS,
ASA HUTCHINSON TO RECONSIDER ITS CUTS TO MEDICAID SPENDING SAYING
IT WOULD PLACE AN UNDO BURDEN ON MANY OF THOSE STATES.
GOVERNOR, NICE TO SEE YOU, THANKS FOR BEING HERE.
I APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH. >> IT IS GOOD TO BE WITH YOU AND
>> THE PRESIDENT SUGGESTS THAT REPUBLICANS SHOULD TAKE AN
ALTERNATE ROUTE IF THEY CAN'T PASS THIS BILL.
HE SAID REPEAL NOW AND REPLACE LATER.
WOULD YOU ADVISE THAT? >> THAT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE A
GOOD IDEA TO ME. WE'RE GOING THROUGH A LOT OF
UNCERTAINTY RIGHT NOW WITH THE CURRENT DEBATE IN WASHINGTON.
AND PEOPLE WANT SOME UNDERSTANDING OF THE PATH TO THE
FUTURE AND WHAT THE FUTURE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM IS GOING TO
LOOK LIKE. WE NEED TO DO TO THAT TO CHANGE
THAT COURSE AND SAY WE'RE GOING TO REPEAL OBAMACARE.
BUT NOT KNOW WHAT WE'RE GOING TO REPLACE IT WITH.
WE REALLY GIVE A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY AND UNNECESSARY
WORRY. WE HAVE TO SLOG THROUGH THIS AND
THE SENATE IS DOING A REMARKABLE JOB TRYING TO BRING PEOPLE
TOGETHER TO HAVE THE REFORM THAT IS SO MUCH NEEDED IN AN
UNASTAINABLE SYSTEM RIGHT NOW. >> THE UNINSURED RATE IN YOUR
STATE IS SOMETHING LIKE 10.2%. SORT OF ON PAR WITH THE NATIONAL
AVERAGE. YOUR STATE OF ARKANSAS AND THE
STATE OF KENTUCKY, AS WELL. THE ONES THAT POSTED THE LARGEST
DROPS OF UNINSURED RATES IN THE COUNTRY SO FAR.
WITH THAT AS THE BACKDROP. THE SENATE BILL PASSED, IT WOULD
GET RID OF MEDICAID EXPANSION AND CAP SPENDING ON MEDICAID PER
PERSON. YOUR STATE HAS BENEFITTED FROM
THAT EXPANSION THAT REALLY ONLY EXPANDS IT TO MAKE THOSE
COVERED, IF THEY MAKE SOMETHING UP TO $16,000, $17,000 A YEAR.
SO, WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO THOSE INDIVIDUALS?
>> WELL, ON THE MEDICAID EXPANSION, IF WE CEASE THAT,
THEN THEY WOULD HAVE TO GO ON THE SUBSIDIZED INDIVIDUAL
EXCHANGE AND MANY OF THEM WOULD NOT BECAUSE THE SUBSIDY IS NOT
SUFFICIENT. SO, THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE
MAKING THE POVERTY LEVEL OR AROUND THAT SO THEY COULD NOT
AFFORD IT. SO, CLEARLY, THE NUMBER OF
UNINSURED WOULD INCREASE. IT PUTS STATES IN A VERY
DIFFICULT POSITION BECAUSE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT MADE A
COMMITMENT OF 90% COST SHARE ON THE EXPANDED POPULATION.
NOW THEY WANT TO REDUCE IT DOWN TO 70% IN ARKANSAS.
AND, SO, WE COULD NOT ABSORB THE EXTRA $2 MILLION IT WOULD COST
US. WE WOULD DO AWAY WITH THAT
EXPANSION AND A LOT OF CONSEQUENCES FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE
RELIED UPON THAT. >> GOVERNOR, TO BE CLEAR, YOU
HAD CALLED FOR THE FEDERAL POVERTY RATE AND 100% COVERED
UNDER THE EXPANSION. THOSE ARE FOLKS WHO MAKE 16,500.
SO, THE CBO SAYS THAT THOSE FOLKS COULDN'T AFFORD THAT
COVERAGE. ISN'T THAT LEAVING PEOPLE OUT ON
A LURCH? >> THIS IS REFORM.
WE'RE ALREADY DOING IN ARKANSAS AND THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT WE'VE
GOT TO DO IS TO HELP THOSE THAT NEED IT THE MOST AND CONCENTRATE
OUR STATE RESOURCES AND OUR FEDERAL RESOURCES ON THOSE.
SO, RIGHT NOW WE'RE DOING REFORM IN ARKANSAS AND NOT WAITING FOR
WASHINGTON. WE'RE GOING AHEAD AND WE'RE
GOING TO REDUCE THE EXPANDED POPULATION BY ABOUT 60,000.
THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO ON UNDER THE EXCHANGE AT THE
CURRENT LAW AND ADEQUATE SUBSIDIES TO GET THAT.
IT'S A SEAMLESS TRANSITION. IF IT CHANGES DOWN THE ROAD
UNDER THE NEW SENATE PLAN WHERE THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO
GO ON THE EXCHANGE, THEN THEY ARE UNINSURED AND THAT'S A
PROBLEM. >> ONE FREQUENT CRITICISM IS
THAT THIS BILL CONTAINS LARGE TAX CUTS FOR WEALTHY INVESTORS.
DO YOU THINK WE SHOULD KEEP THOSE TAXES IN PLACE, IF IT
MEANS MORE TO HELP THE MOST VULNERABLE IN STATES LIKE YOURS?
>> WELL, THAT'S THE COST AND WHERE YOU COME UP WITH THE
REVENUES IS A SENATE QUESTION. I'M DELIGHTED --
>> WHAT IS YOUR POSITION ON THIS?
DO YOU THINK WE SHOULD KEEP THOSE TAXES IN PLACE FOR THE
WEALTHIEST AMERICANS? THE WEALTHY INVESTORS?
>> I KNOW THAT'S UNDER CONSIDERATION BY THE SENATE.
THEY'RE DEBATING THAT POINT. >> WHAT WOULD YOU TELL YOUR
SENATOR? >> A MASSIVE COST SHIFT TO THE
STATE. AND AS TO HOW THEY AVOID THAT
COST SHIFT TO THE STATE, I LEAVE THAT TO SENATE.
IF THEY HAVE TO CONTINUE THE REVENUE STREAM UNDER THE
PREVIOUS LAW, THEN THAT'S ONE SOLUTION TO IT.
IF THEY WANT TO SHIFT OTHER REVENUES, THAT'S FINE.
JUST DO NOT HAVE THIS MASSIVE COST SHIFT TO THE STATE THAT
WOULD REQUIRE US TO ABANDON SOME OF THESE PROGRAMS THAT PEOPLE
ARE RELYING UPON. >> IN NEVADA, SENATOR HALER HAS
BEEN WORKING WITH THE REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR, GOVERNOR SANDOVAL IN
THAT STATE. WOULD SENATOR COTTON VOTE FOR A
BILL YOU DID NOT SUPPORT? >> VERY ATTUNED TO WHAT RAISING
IN ARKANSAS. WE HAVE A GREAT WORKING
RELATIONSHIP. THEY'RE LOOKING TO THEIR OTHER
COLLEAGUES AND TRYING TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES THAT I RAISED.
AS TO WHAT THEY FINALLY VOTE ON, I DON'T KNOW.
THEY UNDERSTAND HOW DIFFICULT A POSITION WE'RE IN THAT WHAT WE
HAVE IS NOT WORKING OVER THE LONG TERM.
IT'S GOT TO BE CHANGED. WHAT'S THE BEST SOLUTION AND I'M
GIVING MY IDEAS AND I'M SAYING HOW THIS IS GOING TO IMPACT
ARKANSAS. THEY GOT TO MAKE THE BEST
JUDGMENTS FROM THERE. >> THE ADMINISTRATION VOTER
FRAUD COMMISSION ASKING FOR EXTENSIVE VOTING DATA FROM ALL
STATES. DO YOU PLAN TO COMPLY WITH THAT
REQUEST? >> WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED THE
LETTER YET. SO, WE WANT TO LOOK AT IT INN
DETAIL. BY AND LARGE, I WOULD BE VERY
HESITANT TO SEND OUT VOTER DATA THAT IS AVAILABLE HERE IN
ARKANSAS INTO A NATIONAL DATABASE.
EVEN THOUGH IT'S PUBLICLY AVAILABLE INFORMATION.
I UNDERSTAND THEY'RE REQUESTING. WE GENERALLY HANDLE VOTER FRAUD
ISSUES STATE BY STATE. WE'LL WAIT AND SEE WHAT THE
LETTER SAYS. I'M A LITTLE HESITANT ABOUT IT.
>> DO YOU BELIEVE THAT MILLIONS OF AMERICANS VOTED ILLEGALLY IN
THE 2016 ELECTION OR TENS OF THOUSANDS ILLEGAL VOTES CAST IN
YOUR STATE? >> ALL I CAN SPEAK OF IS
ARKANSAS. I THINK WE HAD A VERY GOOD
ELECTION SYSTEM. IT WAS FAIR.
I DON'T THINK WE HAD MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF FRAUD.
I THINK IT WAS A VERY FAIR ELECTION AND WE GOT THE RESULT
THAT PEOPLE