Better health care for the Borderland is just the reason local health care providers want to expand Medicaid.

But they are up against Governor Rick Perry, who said that won't be happening in Texas.

As part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, colloquially referred to as Obamacare, one provision allows for the expansion of Medicaid for ages 21 to 65. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that would be a state-to-state decision, and Perry said Texas would not adopt that provision.

But county and health care professionals like James Valenti, the president and CEO of University Medical Center, the county's only public hospital, believes expanding Medicaid is necessary to keep costs down for the county.

That's why health professionals, county commissioners and other leaders passed a resolution to expand Medicaid.

"It's the first time our community has put together a health plan for this community, and it's a very exciting time. There are a lot of changes. There is anxiety of what's going to happen," said Valenti. "But the Medicaid expansion is very important for El Paso."

In 2011, El Paso County was forced to raise taxes to make up for cuts to Medicaid. The state's argument for not expanding Medicaid is that there won't be enough doctors to take care of all the new patients.

But health care professionals argue that they treat those patients right now anyway, except right now those patients are uninsured, which ends up costing the taxpayers.

Expanding Medicaid reduces the burden on taxpayers and the county.

"It's going to be good for all El Pasoans, from those who have insurance to those that are charity cases," said Valenti.

A small "blue" corner in a very "red" state could mean an uphill battle to expand Medicaid, but health care providers believe it shouldn't be about politics, it should be about patients.