Virginia is on the verge of expanding medicaid under the affordable care act, which will expand health coverage to 400,000 of the poorest residents of the state.
The big breakthrough came on Friday, when Republican state Senator Frank Wagner has announced that he will support expanding medicaid (with some conditions) which could give the proposal enough votes to pass in the framework of the state budget. Republicans, who control the Senate of Virginia with a minimum margin of 21-19, and Wagner was the second of two Republican senators that are needed to support growth.
Even with Democrat Ralph Northam won the Governor’s mansion in November, sharply narrowing the Republican house majority party, the expansion of medicaid is a major item on the agenda of the state. The house already passed a version of the proposal, but the Senate refused to go along. Two cameras were at a standstill for the last month; the legislature will meet this week to try to pass a budget, which will be a means for the expansion of the medicaid program.
“I’m optimistic. I’m a glass half-full”, Northam recently told VOX. “This is something we have been working for five years to ensure that all Virginians have access to affordable and quality health care.”
Support Wagner and Republican senior Hanger, Jr., Emmett comes with certain conditions, the Washington post reports. Wagner wants to expand tax breaks for middle class people who buy Private coverage in exchange for the expansion of the medicaid program for the poor (family of three earning $27,000 or less true) and Hanger there are some concerns about how the government takes its share of the tab (10 percent, while the Federal government covers the rest).
The finer details will be agreed in the coming days. Legislators and Northam should also agree to require medicaid applicants to work; Republicans in support of legislative requirements of work, but Northam Vaux said he didn’t want to “punish” the people and deprive them of health insurance for non-performance.
While Wagner and Hanger to stay on Board and compromises on these issues can be reached, the VA will soon have to expand medicaid.
This will be the first state to formally accept the expansion of medicaid in accordance with President Donald trump and the 34th overall. Today, 18 mainly by the Republicans of the United States have refused to expand medicaid under obamacare, leaving nearly 4 million people are without health insurance.
Sourse: vox.com
