One of the many reasons that Republicans have given when it comes to their opposition of President Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act is that it is unconstitutional for the government to have so much say over the states when it comes to mandating a national health insurance exchange.  Republicans believe that states should have independent oversight over their own monies and coverage, because states should not be legislated via federal law.

As part of this argument, they have now introduced the State Health Flexibility Act. As part of the bill, states will have block grant funding of Medicaid, allowing them to choose to do whatever they want with the money, regardless of what the federal government approves of, without losing matching federal funds.

Unless the state wants to use it to cover abortions.  Then, states’ rights don’t count at all, because don’t you know there is a federal amendment that bans that?

Via Ms. Magazine:

The bill would move Medicaid to a block grant model in which states are given blocks of money and can individually structure their low-income healthcare plans. Although the Hyde Amendment has prohibited federal funding of abortion since 1976, 17 states have programs that use state money to cover abortions for low income women as part of their Medicaid plans. HR 4160 would make this practice illegal.

So how do they justify the fact that on one hand, they believe that states should have the final say to make law and spend money without federal oversight, and on the other hand, they want to continue to reinforce a federal rule if it means limiting funding in the few states that provide financial help for women seeking abortions?

They don’t.  Because, just like simultaneously arguing that courts should overturn Roe V. Wade and let each state allow or outlaw abortion individually, while at the same time pushing candidates to sign pledges to create a federal ban on abortion that would outlaw it in every state regardless of whether the state chooses to allow it or not, all that really matters is cutting off access to safe, legal abortion.