Gaining the few additional votes needed since Monday's first attempt, the Arkansas House approved that state's "private option" approach to expanding Medicaid, according to a report by Politico.
Eeking past the required three-fourths consensus with a 77-23 final tally, Gov. Mike Beebe, who championed the bill, got nine more representatives to vote yes to a measure that would use new federal dollars granted for broadening Medicaid eligibility criteria as a way to subsidize private insurance for beneficiaries via the health insurance exchanges. The bill still needs three-fourths of the state Senate and HHS' approval in order to become law.
Arkansas has been a focal point in the Medicaid expansion debate. Gov. Beebe, a Democrat, received HHS approval for the privatization of Medicaid, paving the way for the measure to pass the Republican-controlled legislature and turning the heads of other governors once opposed to adding more people onto the traditional Medicare rolls.
Arkansas' Medicaid "Private Option" Fails House Vote
Health Insurance Subsidies to Cost $607B
Eeking past the required three-fourths consensus with a 77-23 final tally, Gov. Mike Beebe, who championed the bill, got nine more representatives to vote yes to a measure that would use new federal dollars granted for broadening Medicaid eligibility criteria as a way to subsidize private insurance for beneficiaries via the health insurance exchanges. The bill still needs three-fourths of the state Senate and HHS' approval in order to become law.
Arkansas has been a focal point in the Medicaid expansion debate. Gov. Beebe, a Democrat, received HHS approval for the privatization of Medicaid, paving the way for the measure to pass the Republican-controlled legislature and turning the heads of other governors once opposed to adding more people onto the traditional Medicare rolls.
More Articles on Medicaid Expansion:
Report: Safety-Net Hospitals Face Growing Risks of Failure 'Arkansas' Medicaid "Private Option" Fails House Vote
Health Insurance Subsidies to Cost $607B