Medicaid Expansion Becoming More Likely in Conservative States

By Consumers for Quality Care, on September 6, 2022

After resisting for more than a decade, states with Republican-led legislatures are showing new openness to the idea of expanding Medicaid, according to Axios.

In North Carolina, Georgia, Wyoming, Alabama, and Texas, state leaders are now acknowledging the bipartisan popularity of extending health care coverage. “I think a lot of Republican members would like to extend Medicaid even more than they will say it,” said Texas Democratic State Sen. Nathan Johnson.

During the federal COVID-19 public health emergency, Medicaid access was automatically extended. However, those temporary expansions could end next year and leave millions without coverage, putting additional pressure on political leaders.

According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, more than 2 million Americans would gain health care coverage if the 12 Republican-led states who have not expanded Medicaid decide to do so.

In North Carolina, the state’s top Republican announced his support for full expansion legislation this spring. “If there is a person that has spoken out more against Medicaid expansion than I have, I’d like to meet that person,” Republican Senate leader Phil Berger said after revealing his changed stance. “This is the right thing for us to do.”

CQC urges state lawmakers to expand Medicaid to ensure all consumers have access to affordable, high-quality health care.