Virginia Lawmakers Expected To Return To Debate Over Medicaid Expansion

The topic will come up during a special session of the Virginia House of Delegates, which is dominated by Republican lawmakers who are on record opposing the approach. A poll released Wednesday, however, found the majority of Virginians support the expansion.   

The Washington Post: Va. House Of Delegates Plans To Vote On Medicaid Expansion
Republican leaders of Virginia’s House of Delegates, who have staunchly opposed Medicaid expansion all year, plan to put the question to a floor vote as early as Thursday in a special legislative session. The GOP-dominated chamber is widely expected to shoot down the proposed $2 billion-a-year expansion, although a few conservative legislators have expressed fears that the measure might defy expectations and pass — just as a then-record tax hike did when Democrat Mark R. Warner was governor a decade ago (Vozzella, 9/17).

The Associated Press: No Medicaid Action Expected In Special Session
There will be plenty of talking but probably not much action when Virginia state lawmakers reconvene to discuss whether the Medicaid program should be expanded. Both the state House and Senate are set to meet Thursday at noon at the Capitol. Republican leaders said they're holding a special session to discuss Medicaid expansion because they promised they would. But they've indicated on several occasions that they still oppose expansion (9/18).

Richmond Times-Dispatch: Lawmakers Return To Consider What's Best For Virginians' Health
The answer to improving health care in Virginia may lie on the other side of East Broad Street from the Capitol, where lawmakers return today for a special session to discuss whether to expand coverage of uninsured Virginians with federal funds under the Affordable Care Act. Across from the Capitol, the Virginia Commonwealth University Health System is conducting a 14-year experiment that it says has reduced inappropriate use of emergency rooms and hospitalization, improved health outcomes for uninsured residents of the Richmond region, and dramatically reduced the cost of care (Martz, 9/18).

The Washington Post: Poll Finds Solid Support For Medicaid Expansion In Virginia
A solid majority of Virginia voters support expanding Medicaid to an additional 400,000 Virginians, according to a new poll. Released Wednesday, the day before the General Assembly is due to reconvene in Richmond to consider expanding the health-care program for the poor and disabled, the Christopher Newport University survey found that 61 percent of voters support expansion under the Affordable Care Act and 31 percent oppose it (Vozzella, 9/17).