Gov. Baker disappointed with US House’s health care vote
BOSTON (AP) — Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker is criticizing fellow Republicans in the U.S. House for approving a health care bill he says “would significantly reduce critical funds for the commonwealth’s health care system.”
With Thursday’s vote, House Republicans moved one step closer to dismantling former President Barack Obama’s 2010 health care overhaul.
All voting Democrats and a group of mostly moderate Republican holdouts voted no.
Baker said he’ll continue to urge Congress to reject the bill in its current form as it moves to the Senate. He said maintaining flexibility through the Medicaid program is critical to the state’s ability to provide coverage for the needy.
Governor Baker’s statement on the passage of the American Health Care Act by the U.S. House of Representatives. pic.twitter.com/6ftwxIRBQW
— Charlie Baker (@MAGovArchive) May 4, 2017
Baker had said an earlier version of the bill which failed would have cost Massachusetts at least $1.5 billion in annual federal payments within five years.
