Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer says she will expand the state's Medicaid program to cover citizens who earn up to 138% of the poverty line.
The Republican governor said Monday in her annual State of the State speech that she has fought against the federal health care law known as the Affordable Care Act. But she cited President Barack Obama's re-election and last summer's U.S. Supreme Court ruling in saying that the law is here to stay.
The Supreme Court did give states the option of not signing on to the expansion. But Brewer says virtually all of the expansion will be funded by the federal government, and not taking the money wouldn't contribute to the lowering of federal deficits.
She added that expanding Medicaid will help poor Arizonans and help hospitals and caregivers who now must give care without pay.
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