Arizona governor argues against Medicaid expansion

PHOENIX (AP) — Gov. Jan Brewer is telling members of Congress that Arizona can't afford to expand the Medicaid programs as proposed under pending federal legislation.

The legislation in the Senate Finance Committee would raise income eligibility levels for the program for low-income Americans as a way to expand health care coverage while pushing some of the costs onto state governments.

But Brewer says in a letter released Wednesday by her office that Arizona would be penalized because it now has income eligibility levels for Medicaid above those of other states.

And she says the state is struggling to pay for its current program — the Arizona Cost Containment Health Care System — though its per-person costs are among the lowest nationally.