Obama in Texas: While defending health law, he went on offense about Medicaid expansion

Nov 8 2013

President Barack Obama continued to lament the problems plaguing the federal online insurance marketplace, but he also scolded the Texas government for its resistance to the health law's Medicaid expansion, which, he said, left more than a million of the state's people uninsured.

The New York Times: Despite Fumbles, Obama Defends Health Care Law
Against a backdrop of closer-than-expected election results in Virginia that some attributed to opposition to the health law, Mr. Obama again expressed regret for the troubles at the federal website that have prevented many people from enrolling for insurance. But he said the Texas government -- by refusing to take federal funds and expand Medicaid eligibility -- had left more than a million people uninsured. He promised to get problems with the health program fixed (Calmes and Weisman, 11/6).

The Associated Press/Washington Post: Obama Sells Health Care Law In Texas, Draws Attention To State's High Rate Of Uninsured
President Barack Obama is comparing the problem-plagued federal health care website to a store that has a good product for sale and not enough cash registers to ring up the purchases. Speaking to volunteers in Dallas, Obama says "nothing drives me more crazy" than knowing that good insurance plans are for sale under the Affordable Care Act, but people are having trouble getting onto the website to buy it (11/6).

The Wall Street Journal's Washington Wire: Obama Slams Texas' Health-Law Resistance
President Barack Obama lamented Texas' resistance to the Affordable Care Act Wednesday, saying that more than a million people there could gain coverage if the state expanded Medicaid. The president traveled to Dallas to make a pitch for the federal health law, quickly skimming past the controversy that has enveloped it and instead pushing Texas to participate in the Affordable Care Act (Nelson, 11/6).

Politico: President Obama Thanks Health Care Volunteers In Dallas
President Obama spent some time Wednesday hearing from Senate Democrats concerned about the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, but by the time he got to Dallas a few hours later, he was on the offensive, as he tried to fire up volunteers helping with the law's implementation. One target was Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who Obama called on to support the expansion of Medicaid in his state, something that just a few Republican governors have done (Epstein, 11/6).

The Dallas Morning News: In Dallas, Obama Urges Medicaid Expansion As He Scoops Up Cash
In Dallas to raise cash for Senate candidates, President Barack Obama took a side trip Wednesday to pressure Gov. Rick Perry to expand Medicaid and thank volunteers working to help uninsured Texans. He called it a "no-brainer" that Texas could provide coverage immediately to 1 million working poor for little state investment -- if only Perry would go along (Gillman, 11/6).

The Texas Tribune: In Texas, Obama Calls On Perry To Expand Medicaid
During a visit to Dallas on Wednesday, President Obama called on Gov. Rick Perry to expand Medicaid under the federal Affordable Care Act and commended grassroots advocates for their work to educate uninsured residents on health insurance options under the new law (Aaronson, 11/6).