Michigan Senate leader says Medicaid expansion vote could come in August

Jul 19 2013

Republican Randy Richardville says the debate will have to wait until a group of senators studying the issue submit their proposal.

The Associated Press: Mich. Senate Leader Eyes Medicaid Vote In August
The leader of the Republican-dominated Michigan Senate said Wednesday he is tentatively planning to hold a much-anticipated vote on Medicaid expansion legislation in late August, assuming a group of senators studying the issue proposes a plan as early as next week. Majority Leader Randy Richardville, R-Monroe, said the full Senate could vote Aug. 27 or 28 -; or the following week -; on whether to cover hundreds of thousands more low-income adults with government health insurance under the federal health care law (Eggert, 7/17).

Detroit Free Press: Medicaid Expansion Debate Delayed in Senate, Vote Still Weeks Away
The Medicaid expansion debate in the Senate will have to wait for at least a couple of weeks. The Senate work group is meeting privately twice a week to look at and tweak the expansion bill passed by the House of Representatives in June (Gray, 7/17). 

Meanwhile, in Louisiana --

New Orleans Times-Picayune: Rep. Boustany Says Reports He Wants Louisiana To Expand Medicaid Under 'Obamacare' Are Wrong
Two weeks ago, Rep. Charles Boustany, R-Lafayette, generated a strong response, both positive and negative, when he was quoted as saying that Louisiana should expand Medicaid coverage under the Affordable Care Act. Now, Boustany is saying it isn't his position and that he agrees with Gov. Bobby Jindal's decision not to implement the Medicaid expansion that proponents say will provide health coverage for 400,000 uninsured Louisiana residents (Alpert, 7/17).