Policy

Congress Likely To Deny Money for Obamacare Implementation

Starve the beast

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Here's today's billion-dollar question: Are Republicans going to allow the administration to spend more money on Obamacare?

Don't count on it.

The landmark health law may have survived the Supreme Court, countless repeal efforts and a presidential election — but none of that required Republicans to shower money on Obamacare. And with at least 33 states refusing to build the critical health insurance exchanges, the federal government is unexpectedly on the hook to set them up — and short of money to do so.

The White House requested $1.5 billion more for the health law implementation in its budget Wednesday, but health officials know they're not likely to get it.