Beebe: House health bill could cost Ark. $205M

By The Associated Press

Gov. Mike Beebe says that a proposal in the House to overhaul the nation’s health care system could add $205 million to the state’s budget by 2015.

Beebe said on his call-in radio show Friday that he believes some insurance reform is needed, but said he’s told the state’s congressmen that he doesn’t want it to increase the Medicaid costs for states like Arkansas.

House members may vote as early as Saturday on the 10-year, $1.2 trillion legislation. It embraces President Barack Obama’s goals of extending health coverage to tens of millions of uninsured Americans and puts new restrictions on insurance companies.

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