Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
One Of This Election Day's Biggest Winners: Medicaid Expansion
CNBC: Utah, Idaho And Nebraska Approve Medicaid Expansion Ballot Measures
Three red states approved Medicaid expansion in Tuesday's midterm elections, changes that will potentially cover hundreds of thousands more low-income Americans, NBC News projected. Voters in Utah, Nebraska and Idaho were all expected to pass ballot measures to broaden the federal and state health insurance program, according to NBC. The support for Medicaid expansion, an Affordable Care Act provision, came over the objections of many officials who had so far declined to adopt it, citing budgetary constraints. (Pramuk, 11/7)
Huffington Post: Medicaid Is A Big Winner On Election Day
These four campaigns started out with grassroots organizing by local residents, who gathered support from allies including organizations representing physicians, hospitals, chambers of commerce, patient advocates and progressive groups. The approval of these ballot initiatives in deeply Republican states could be seen as a repudiation of President Donald Trump and his party’s attempts to scale back government health care programs, especially during a national campaign that focused heavily on health care. That’s despite Republican candidates winning key elections in those same states, including for governor in Idaho and Nebraska. (Young, 11/7)
Lincoln Journal Star: Medicaid Expansion Wins With Lincoln, Omaha Support
After seven years of legislative refusal to expand Medicaid in Nebraska, voters on Tuesday night extended coverage to an estimated 90,000 adult Nebraskans who are working at low-wage jobs. That decision will bring an estimated $1.3 billion in federal funding flowing into the state during the first three years of the new program, which would provide health care coverage for Nebraskans who work at jobs like food service and retail sales that earn them less than $17,000 a year. (Walton, 11/7)
The Hill: Nebraska Voters Pass Medicaid Expansion
Voters in Nebraska approved a ballot measure to expand Medicaid, despite opposition from the state’s Republican governor and legislators. The approval means an estimated 90,000 people, many of whom earn less than $17,000 a year, will now be eligible for Medicaid coverage. Nebraska was one of 17 states that did not take federal money to expand Medicaid as part of ObamaCare. (Weixel, 11/7)
The Salt Lake Tribune: 150,000 More Utahns Poised To Get Medical Coverage As Voters OK Medicaid Expansion
Help is on the way for 150,000 low-income Utahns seeking health care coverage after Utah voters approved full Medicaid expansion, according to unofficial election results late Tuesday. Proposition 3 was carrying 55 percent of the vote at press time, with 45 percent opposing the measure. (Wood, 11/7)
Idaho Statesman: Medicaid Expansion Passes In Idaho
Idaho’s Proposition 2, Medicaid expansion, hit a groove early Tuesday night and just kept going. With 78 percent of votes tallied, the measure still had the support of more than 60 percent of residents at around 2 a.m. Wednesday. The Associated Press called it as passing shortly before midnight. Expanding the state’s Medicaid program to cover childless and low-income adults had the support of Idaho Gov. Butch Otter and certain Republican state lawmakers, as well as industry stakeholders such as hospitals. (Dutton, 11/6)
The Associated Press: Votes Still Being Counted For Montana Ballot Issues
Election officials counted votes late Tuesday for ballot issues on extending the state’s expanded Medicaid program by raising the tobacco tax and on imposing new cleanup standards on mines. ... The Medicaid measure would raise the state’s tax on a pack of cigarettes to $3.70 and on snuff to at least $3.70 per 1.2-ounce can. The extra money would go to help pay for the wider Medicaid program that covers about 96,000 people and is scheduled to expire next year. It also would flow to other health and veterans programs and into the state’s general fund. (Volz, 11/7)
