Medicaid expansion: Florida stalls; Ohio lawsuits; Kansas hospitals weigh in

Nov 27 2013

States dominated by Republican governors and legislatures continue to wrestle with decisions about expanding Medicaid to poor people who don't currently qualify.

Politico: Rick Scott's Medicaid Push Stalled In Florida
Gov. Rick Scott stuck his political neck out earlier this year to champion covering more of his state's poor residents under Obamacare. But now talk of Medicaid expansion in Florida can, at best, be described as a hushed whisper. ... Scott has since faded from his state's health care conversation, although his 2014 reelection bid will most likely force him back into it. His disappearing act is in stark contrast to some of his conservative colleagues, like Govs. Jan Brewer of Arizona and John Kasich of Ohio, who pulled out all the stops to get expansion through in their states (Millman, 11/25).

The Associated Press: Ohio Says Board Acted Within Law In Medicaid Case
An Ohio legislative panel acted consistently with state law and standard practice when it approved a request to fund an expansion of the Medicaid program last month, state attorneys argued in a court filing Monday. Two anti-abortion groups and six Republican state representatives are suing the state Controlling Board and Ohio's Department of Medicaid over the decision that bypassed the General Assembly (Sanner, 11/25).

Kansas Health Institute: Kansas Hospitals Backing Medicaid Expansion
The Kansas Hospital Association recently completed an advertising campaign aimed at building support for expanding state's Medicaid program. … The association, which represents all 128 hospitals in Kansas, sponsored radio and television commercials in the Wichita and Kansas City markets from Nov. 11 through Nov. 22 (Ranney 11/25).