BENTONVILLE -- Mike Whitmore of Rogers, a candidate for the District 90 state House of Representatives seat, came out against the private option state health care plan at a candidate's forum Thursday.
"I believe it's going to cost us in the long term, and perhaps in the not-so-long term," he said.
Whitmore was inclined against private option when he announced last this year but said he wanted to see the debate in this year's fiscal session of the Legislature before making a decision.
Opponent Jana Della Rosa, also of Rogers, repeated her stance the private option -- so far -- is the best of the few alternatives the state has in dealing with the imposition of the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare.
Whitmore and Della Rosa are running in the Republican primary for the seat held by Rep. Les Carnine, R-Rogers. Rival candidate Paul Caldwell of Lowell didn't attend the forum hosted by the Republican Women of Bentonville.
Carnine is serving the last of the three House terms allowed under the state constitution. There's no Democratic opposition in this race. The primary is set for May 20. If no candidate gains a majority in that race, the runoff between the two with the most votes will be June 10.
Private option takes more than $900 million in federal taxpayer money earmarked for expanding the state-administered Medicaid program, but uses it to subsidize buying private insurance policies for lower-income Arkansans.
The measure gained a three-quarters vote in each chamber of the Legislature in the fiscal session, but a three-quarters vote is required to pass an appropriation bill. The measure gained 76 votes in the House, with Carnine and fellow Benton County delegation member Rep. Mary Lou Slinkard, R-Gravette, providing the last two votes on the fifth attempt to get the measure through the House.
The federal government's announced intention is to fully fund the program for three years but the state would have to come up with a share of the cost after that.
A 10 percent share of the cost would be phased in over several years. Supporters point out without the plan, hospitals would not be able to be reimbursed for many services paid for by Medicare, another federal program, that are being cut and transferred to Medicaid.
In other issues, Della Rosa said she decided to run, in part, out of a desire to improve education. She's an industrial engineer and former executive with a home products company who left to raise her two children and became frustrated with experiences at her children's school.
"Schools today are good at identifying problems, but when the time comes for a solution, teacher's hands are tied," she said.
NW News on 03/14/2014