Bill Frist tells GOP governors: You're taking silver spoons out of my grandchildren's mouths

Jimmy Margulies via politicalcartoons.com

Here's an essay by Sen. Bill Frist (R-TN, retired) that encapsulates the problem Republicans will have in trying to block the expansion of health care insurance for those who are not insured. Writing in The Week:  

Why both parties should embrace ObamaCare's state exchanges

Largely lost in the fight over ObamaCare is a worthy provision that lets states develop insurance systems that are right for them ' but they must act soon

posted on July 18, 2012

While you may remember Bill Frist as an ex-majority leader in the Senate during the Bush years, don't forget this part of Frist's resume:

He is a fourth-generation Tennessean. His great-great grandfather was one of the founders of Chattanooga, Tennessee, and his father was a doctor and founded the health care business organization which became Hospital Corporation of America. Frist's brother, Thomas Jr., became chairman and chief executive of Hospital Corporation of America in 1997.

Have any doubts that Frist is aiming at GOP governors? Here's what he pointedly says:

Enacting some sort of exchange establishment legislation is expected to be crucial to receiving federal approval for a state-run exchange. And though some GOP governors refuse to set up an exchange of their own, I see little advantage for states to default to the federally designed, one-size-fits-all exchange when they can design and run their own.  

On the one hand there will be political pressure to avoid any cooperation at all. This effort (pdf), for example, is a letter from Republican members of Congress encouraging governors to avoid any cooperation with state exchanges.

(Continue reading below the fold.)