Like many other Republican governors, Walker rejected the Medicaid expansion offered to his state by the PPACA. Instead, he tightened Medicaid requirements, which pushed thousands of state residents off the Medicaid rolls and into the federally-run private insurance exchange.

As the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act approaches its two year anniversary, it has become a far less frequent target of attacks than it was during the years before its implementation.

All Republican presidential candidates have vowed to repeal President Obama's signature domestic policy, but most of them have offered very few specific alternatives.

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, a leading contender for the GOP presidential nomination, has finally released a plan outlining his alternative to the PPACA that is based on providing people refundable tax credits to purchase health plans. It also proposes allowing people to purchase care across state lines to increase competition and portability.

Walker also proposes linking the amount of the tax refund –– between $900 and $3,000 –– to age, rather than income. Similar to many other conservative proposals, Walker's plan would turn Medicaid into block grants to states, which would cap the amount of money available to states but also allow them greater leeway in determining how to spend their Medicaid funds.

However, the proposal conspicuously lacks key details. It does not offer any estimation of the cost of the plan or the number of people the plan would cover. And although it seeks to maintain the PPACA requirement that insurers cover individuals regardless of pre-existing conditions, it will not mandate that individuals purchase insurance. The governor does say that those who want to benefit from guarantees of affordable care must maintain continuing coverage, however.

Instant Insights /

Scott Walker unveils PPACA alternative

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