Idaho House Kills Senate Plan On Medicaid Expansion
The vote came shortly before the House adjourned for the year. Also, a look at the Medicaid expansion debate in Tennessee.
Idaho Statesman:
Idaho House Kills Medicaid Expansion Bill
House Republicans Friday gave the decisive last word on the session-long debate over funding health care for 78,000 lower-income Idahoans, voting unanimously to kill a Senate-approved bill to move the state toward a federally-approved, Idaho-driven solution. After lengthy morning caucuses of party leaders and then the rank-and-file, Republicans moved not to accept the amended version approved in the Senate Thursday. (Dentzer, 3/25)
The Tennessean:
Study Heralds Medicaid Expansion Benefits As Rural Hospital Closes
States that expanded Medicaid programs using federal funding are reaping economic benefits, a new study finds as the long-running healthcare debate rages anew in Tennessee's legislature. Tennessee is among 19 states that have, thus far, opted to not expand coverage to those who fall in the uninsured gap between qualifying for traditional Medicaid and being qualified to buy insurance on the federally run exchange. ... Insure Tennessee, a tiered coverage system using federal Medicaid expansion funding, was pitched to the legislature ahead of a 2015 special session, as well as heard in regular session, but Senate committees blocked the proposal over concerns with a variety of issues. (Fletcher, 3/25)
