Gov. Eric Greitens this week made headlines with his explicit endorsement of the American Health Care Act, also known as Trumpcare after President Donald Trump, the health insurance plan which would repeal large portions of the Affordable Care Act and replace it with new rules and regulations.
As of the writing and reporting of this article, the AHCA appears in tumult as nearly all Congressional Democrats alongside seveal members of the hyper-conservative, neo-libertarian Freedom Caucus have opposed the plan. The prospects for the plan’s passage by Friday evening appear slim, and Trump has already stated he would abandon the repeal of Obamacare if this deal is not passed by Speaker Paul Ryan. Even if it did make it though the House, it would also have to make it through the Senate.
The Congressional Budget Office has estimated the bill would leave 24 million fewer Americans insured in seven years than Obamacare would, and it would also increase premiums for much of the population.
Nevertheless, Greitens supported the plan in two social media postings, namely because it would repeal Obamacare.
“We can’t afford to wait any longer,” he wrote on Facebook. “We must provide relief for families losing their doctors, coverage, and choices, all the while premiums are skyrocketing. This bill isn’t perfect, but it’s the start to repealing and replacing Obamacare. Stand with President Trump and me, and tell your representative we need to act now to begin the process of building a new healthcare system that puts patients first.”
Missouri’s own Congressmen and Congresswomen have split along party lines.
Greitens also suffered a loss in the Senate this past week, as the upper chamber postponed votes on his appointments to the University of Missouri Board of Curators. Several Republican senators stated they felt slighted by Greitens’ unilateral approach in approving a new paid family leave policy for workers in the executive branch. Some believed he should have approached the Senate to consult with them, while others simply do not see room for an approximately $1.1 million program in the midst of the state’s budget crunch.
Senate postpones confirming gubernatorial appointments over Greitens’ executive order
And finally, Greitens approved a new plan to make Missouri the “best state in the country” for veterans. The Missouri Board of Nursing will now accept the United States’ Air Force’s practical nurse education program when creating licenses. Nurse’s qualified through USAF will now no longer need to do another education training course.
Greitens said the change would help Missouri citizens.
“The Board will have more details on the specifics of the program in the coming days, and we are proud to take this step,” Greitens said in a social media post. “We’re working with the other branches of the military to find similar ways to collaborate and help veterans find jobs in Missouri. We’ll be the first state in the country with this agreement, and we will lead the way on more important work for our veterans going forward.”
