Gwen Moore: GOP to Blame for Bumpy 'Obamacare' Implementation

The transition to the Affordable Care Act in Wisconsin will be a bumpy one due to Congressional Republicans and Gov. Scott Walker, U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore said during a Sunday morning political talk show.

Congresswoman Moore appeared on UpFront with Mike Gousha and said the dozens of attempts to repel the national healthcare program by Congressional Republicans is making for a bumpy transition.

“Implementation of ‘Obamacare’ was always going to be difficult, it’s a brand new, huge program, and it has been made even more difficult with the relentless efforts of Republicans," Moore said. 

Barack Obama’s administration decided in early July to delay until 2015 a provision of the federal health care program that employers with more than 50 workers provide health benefits to full-time employees or pay a penalty, USA Today reports. A measure requiring individuals purchase insurance has not changed under the delay. 

White House officials said there was confusion about the provision and a delay was needed, while Republicans claimed vindication in their effort to have the federal law repealed. 

Moore, who represents Wisconsin's 4th Congressional District, which recently expanded to include Shorewood, Whitefish Bay, Fox Point, Glendale and Bayside, continued: “I think it was probably smart on the part of the Obama administration to suspend the employer mandate, which only affects a very small number of people who are in the marketplace."

Healthcare exchanges are expected to open Oct. 1 across the country, but Moore said she sees implementation as a big challenge in Milwaukee, mainly because,"our governor (Walker) has refused the Medicaid expansion," referring to the governor turning down a full expansion of the state BadgerCare program under the health care law. 

Moore, when asked about federal lawmakers' piecemeal approach to immigration reform, said there isn’t enough discussion about the economic benefits of addressing a path to citizenship first. 

She also defended her statement that Walker wouldn't be successful in a run for the White House. 

Watch Moore's interview with Gousha above or click here.