Emilie Ritter Saunders reports Texas Governor Rick Perry said Monday he will not expand his state’s Medicaid program or create a health insurance exchange, leaving 6.2 million Texans without health insurance.

That’s according to Reuters, which also reported Texas has the highest percentage of uninsured people in the country.

“The announcement makes Texas the most populous state that has rejected the provisions. Some 6.2 million people are without insurance in Texas, or 24.6 percent of the state population, the highest percentage in the nation. California has more people without insurance but a lower percentage.

Perry joined fellow Republican governors in Florida, South Carolina, Wisconsin, Mississippi and Louisiana in rejecting the two provisions of the new law, according to AmericanHealthline.com. They hope that November elections will result in Republicans winning the White House and enough seats in Congress to repeal the law.” — Reuters.com

In Idaho, Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter hasn’t reached a conclusion about whether to expand the state’s Medicaid program.  The Supreme Court’s recent ruling on the Affordable Care Act did away with the broad penalties states would have faced for opting out of the expansion.  Otter’s spokesman said last week the governor is consulting with legislative leaders, Idaho’s Attorney General and government agency directors.

Idaho is among states with the highest percentage of people without health insurance.  According to this Gallup report, nearly 20 percent of Idahoans are uninsured.  As we reported last week, if Idaho’s governor decides not to expand Medicaid, a sizable chunk of the population could be left in limbo.