Hune votes "no" on Medicaid expansion, disappointed it sees passage.
LANSING, Mich.--Sen. Joe Hune voted "no" in the Michigan Senate Tuesday for the expansion of Medicaid.
"I think this expansion of government by 400,000 to 500,000 new people that are depending on the government for health care is a gross overreach on behalf of government," said Hune, R-Hamburg. "This program is an entitlement we are not going to be able to rein in. For this reason, it was something I adamantly opposed since the beginning of its origination. Simply put, we need to stop this big government spending."
Governor Snyder, a strong supporter of the measure, is expected to sign the bill as early as next week.
During door-to-door visits Hune has taken part in this summer, he says that his constituents are telling him to "stand strong" on the issue and cast a "no" vote.
"It wasn't scare tactics that lead me to my no vote," Hune said. "We're certainly confident we'd make through our next election regardless of my support or opinion of this. This decision was not political for me.
"This is simply bad policy. I am utterly disappointed in this legislation," said Hune. "I voted no because I could not stomach pushing this garbage forward."
House Bill 4714, would expand Medicaid to roughly 470,000 more Michigan residents from the 1.8 million it already covers. "This expansion of government is wrong, dead wrong," Hune said. "I have always been opposed to big government and the passage of this expansion is irresponsible of taxpayer money. This kind of gross big government overspending has to stop!"
An alternative plan introduced would have allowed the state to license private health-care exchanges and in 2015 move existing Medicaid recipients to private health savings accounts funded with program dollars. This measure failed to pass.
