Democratic Governor Expands Louisiana Medicaid

[UCmeNdc]

Buh-bye, Bobby Jindal. Hello, Governor John Bel Edwards, the newly-elected Democratic governor of Louisiana who just signed an executive order to expand Medicaid to tens of thousands in that state.

“We are consistently ranked one of the poorest and unhealthiest states, and this cycle will not be broken as long as anyone in Louisiana has to choose between their health and their financial security,” Mr. Edwards said Tuesday at a signing event at the Louisiana Capitol. He was flanked by health care industry representatives and a handful of the 300,000 working-class Louisiana residents who he said would be newly eligible for Medicaid when the expanded coverage takes effect on July 1.

“This will not only afford them peace of mind,” Mr. Edwards added, “but also to help prevent them from slipping further into poverty and give them a fighting chance for a better life."
...

http://crooksandliars.com/2016/01/louisiana-finally-gets-their-medicaid

[stillwaiting]

1. I wish Virginia's Democratic Governor would do the same. Great news for LA'ers. nt

[Gumboot]

2. Not only winning hearts and minds...

...but saving lives, too. Let's hope the good folks of Louisiana keep this in mind for November. Thousands of them will be reaping the benefits of Medicaid expansion by then.

The tide is turning, one state at a time.

[madville]

3. Positive move but now the battle actually begins

The money for the expansion has to be allocated as such in the state budget, which still has to pass the Republican-held legislature.

They can do this short term within the current budget but it will create a shortfall well before the end of the fiscal year if additional the additional money is not approved by the legislature, they still control the purse strings unfortunately.