Perry Rips Sebelius' Attempt to Sell Obamacare in Texas

Texas Gov. Rick Perry showed great disdain for an effort by Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to promote the Affordable Care Act in a visit to the state Thursday.

"It’s not that Americans don’t understand Obamacare. It’s that we understand it all too well," Perry said in a statement to The Texas Tribune. "We’re all too aware Obamacare will still cause our state immense budgetary challenges in the years ahead just like it will to families and small businesses across our country."

Texas has so far refused to set up an insurance exchange or expand Medicaid as envisioned in the law. Sebelius said during a stop in Austin that the administration would like to work with Texas to mold Obamacare programs to its needs.

"We are eager to have discussions with Texas about a program that could look uniquely Texan," she told a group of state healthcare leaders. "But as far as I know, those conversations, at least with the state officials, are not taking place right now."

She also said many Americans support Obamacare, despite what the governor may think.

"In all due deference to Gov. Rick Perry . . . I think that what we’re seeing is people are actually enthusiastically embracing the law," she said.