Virginia is putting together a plan for Medicaid expansion that reduces one of the Republican overt complaints. The plan last year that lost in the Legislature had no dedicated funding stream. This year it is different (via the Washington Post) :
Virginia’s hospitals reversed their position this week on a controversial bed tax, potentially giving Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) a path to the top priority of his administration: Medicaid expansion.
Members of the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association have traditionally resisted efforts to pay additional fees, but a tax on beds — also known as a provider assessment — would draw down a federal match. Together, the money could be used to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act and without state funding.
This is necessary but most likely insufficient for Expansion.
BGinCHI
Reason? Development? Or just remove “a”?
Help me out here.
Smedley Darlington Prunebanks (formerly Mumphrey, et al.)
What are the odds the Republicans are going to go along with this? I live here, and it looks like the Republicans are dead set on stopping everything, however much it might help, and whatever accommodations the Democrats make.
Baud
@Smedley Darlington Prunebanks (formerly Mumphrey, et al.): Can you have a probability less than zero?
Matt McIrvin
One thing that may make it a hard sell is that Virginia is simply a richer state than most of the Medicaid-expansion rejectors, so it has less uninsured in the first place.
MobiusKlein
So repubs vote a proposal down as an unfunded effort, but who believes they will vote for a new tax on the flip side?
No way theby resolve the catch 22
Redshift
Unfortunately, every “reason” Virginia Republicans have for opposing Medicaid expansion is really just a thin excuse papered over Obama-hate, so I don’t this will change much. For example, they claim to be concerned that the Federal money for Medicaid expansion “might not be there in the future,” but mysteriously have no such concerns about the numerous other federal funds the state budget depends on. Such things have gotten past Republicans in other states, though, so you never know.
khead
@Baud:
“Cleveland Wins the Super Bowl” odds.
Schlemazel
@khead:
Hey, If a Blancmange can win Wimbledon then the Browns can win the Stuperbowel. Just going to take some Cleveland fans to contact aliens to turn everyone else into Scotsmen.
MomSense
@Redshift:
Substitute “Virginia” Republicans with “Maine” Republicans and this comment is exactly what we are living with here. They even use the same language to express their opposition. Has Luntz/Koch stench about it.
The Other Chuck
@Redshift:
Isn’t it a given, i.e. with a definite expiration date, that the expansion funds won’t be there? That seems to fuel some of the opposition.
Mike in NC
Lived in Virginia for close to 20 years and always felt deep down that it was still part of the Confederacy. No way will the conservatives agree to expansion.
rikyrah
they have no serious reason to blocking Medicaid except for that they are sociopaths.
Richard Mayhew
@Mike in NC: Then explain Indiana, Montana, North Dakota etc.
There is a possible coalition of Democrats and Republicans who can count to 11 with their shoes on that has voted for expansion in far more conservative states.