Gov. Jan Brewer’s Medicaid expansion got its first day in court as attorneys argued over whether 36 Republican lawmakers who opposed the plan have the right to sue over it.

According to the federal government, fewer than 750 Arizonans have signed up for health insurance under the federal marketplace created by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare.

Could have small impact on state government, big effect on Arizona economy

State agencies that rely heavily on federal funds won’t be affected much by the government shutdown, at least in the short term.

In a motion to dismiss the case, attorneys for Gov. Jan Brewer and the director of the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System contend 36 lawmakers who opposed Medicaid expansion don’t have standing to challenge the program in court.

Arizona has a rich history of sheltering its citizens from reckless tax increases. In 1992, voters passed Proposition 108, a constitutional guarantee to prevent abusive tax increases by requiring two-thirds of the Legislature to approve any new tax levies.

If conservative activists manage to refer Gov. Jan Brewer’s Medicaid expansion plan to the ballot, their chances of getting voters to overturn it are grim, according to a new poll by the pro-expansion Restoring Arizona organization.

Just because the 2013 session and its epic battle over Medicaid expansion are over doesn’t mean Gov. Jan Brewer will have time to rest on her laurels.

The special session on the budget and Medicaid expansion was the product of a five-month battle that took more twists and turns than a rattlesnake on a blistering sidewalk.

The protracted fight for Medicaid expansion likely won’t end with Gov. Jan Brewer’s signing of the historic legislation.

When Gov. Jan Brewer walked into the room for her Medicaid expansion signing ceremony, she was met by a standing ovation. After she signed the bill, she let out a sigh of relief.