W. Va. Medicaid Expansion Advocates Worry About Future Costs
Under the federal health law, West Virginia and the other states that expanded their Medicaid programs will begin to pick up some of the costs next year, adding to already burdened state budgets.
West Virginia Public Broadcasting:
Is Medicaid Expansion Contributing To WV Budget Crisis?
[N]ext year, the Medicaid expansion agreement between states and the federal government will begin to change. “Starting in January of 2017, West Virginia will have to pay a 5 percent match for Medicaid Expansion. In the governor’s budget that’s 14 million extra dollars for next year,” said Renate Pore, director of health policy for West Virginians for Affordable Healthcare. In 2018, the state will have to match 6 percent, then 7 the following year, until by 2020 the match will cap at 10 percent and approximately 50 million additional dollars out of the state budget to pay for Medicaid. ... advocates like Pore they are worried about how the state will continue funding Medicaid. (Lofton, 5/23)
North Carolina Health News:
Medicaid Expansion Remains A Hot Issue At General Assembly
With officials from the state Department of Health and Human Services wrapping up work on an overhaul of the state’s Medicaid program this week, lawmakers, physicians and patient advocates gathered at the General Assembly Wednesday to push for Medicaid expansion to be included in the state’s reform plan. Dozens gathered for a press conference in the state legislative building that featured patients who could qualify for the state’s Medicaid program but don’t. (Nigam, 5/26)
