He Who Will Not Be Rebuked

Webster's tells us rebukable means worthy of rebuke. Maine's Gov. LePage certainly seems to fit there.  But he who refuses to be rebuked is what – irrebukable? Or, are you rebuked whether you acknowledge it or not?

The latter might be the better description of where Gov. Paul LePage and the people of Maine are right now.  The Governor simply refuses to implement Maine's Medicaid expansion under the ACA consistent with a referendum passed by Maine voters this past fall.

Now, after vetoing five different Medicaid expansion bills, it is clear that Governor LePage knows how he feels about Medicaid expansion under the ACA  This leads to the fascinating position of a sitting (albeit soon to be termed out) governor refusing to implement while indicating authority to do so but lacking the fiscal and political will.

You have to give it to Governor LePage for giving it to you straight: “We don’t mind helping people get health care, but it should not be free. ‘Free’ is very expensive to somebody.”

There is considerable speculation as to what is going on here ranging from the "not on my watch" theory to complicating bargaining leverage for Medicaid expansion on terms more favorable to the state of Maine.  Governor LePage is no fool.  He is well known, by Maine standards, as quite the savvy and successful businessman. 

Of course, there is no "free" in Medicaid.  But Medicaid expansion under the ACA, for better or for worse, does not need to be free to expansion Medicaid beneficiaries. 

Maybe it is really just the drive to pass that buck back to the legislature, claiming implementation is at hand as soon as the legislature appropriates funding.