Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Victory In Maine Breathes Life Into Other's Efforts To Get Medicaid Expansion On State Ballots
The New York Times: Election Results Invigorate Medicaid Expansion Hopes
The election results in Maine and Virginia have energized supporters of expanding Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act in several holdout states. After months of battling Republican efforts to repeal the law, they now see political consensus shifting in their direction. Groups in Idaho and Utah are already working through the process of getting Medicaid expansion initiatives on next year’s ballots, hoping to follow Maine’s path after failing through the legislative route. (Goodnough and Sanger-Katz, 11/8)
Modern Healthcare: Election Results Bolster Medicaid Expansion Hopes In Maine, Virginia And Other States
Tuesday's elections in Maine and Virginia brought victories for supporters of expanding Medicaid to low-income adults, bolstering the hopes of expansion advocates across the country. Maine voters overwhelmingly approved a binding ballot initiative to expand Medicaid to adults with incomes up to 138% of the federal poverty level, as authorized by the Affordable Care Act. Republican Gov. Paul LePage has vetoed expansion five times and has vowed to do so again. (Meyer, 11/8)
The Associated Press: Nebraska Lawmaker Seeks Medicaid Expansion After Maine Vote
Nebraska voters could get the chance to decide whether to expand Medicaid coverage as part of the federal health care law after Maine voters defied conservative opponents and overwhelmingly approved a similar measure. State Sen. Adam Morfeld said Wednesday he will propose a resolution next year to have lawmakers place the issue on the November 2018 general election ballot. Morfeld announced his intentions after Maine on Tuesday became the first state to expand coverage through a statewide referendum. (Schulte, 11/8)
