Updated 7/6/2016, 2:15pm
Of all the hot topics surrounding the Affordable Care Act, the state-to-state expansion of Medicaid is perhaps the hottest. Medicaid expansion arguably draws the line between Democrats and Republicans when it comes to health care reform. Many states have battled with bringing Medicaid to those who truly need it, and despite the surplus of federal dollars offered to states that participate, it still becomes a never-ending battle of whether or not to adopt Medicaid.
However, Louisiana received the greatest news when Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards announced his plans to enroll 375,000 Louisianans into Medicaid. The Democratic governor was vocal in his desire to expand Medicaid prior to taking office, and that goal has now taken effect as of June 1st. By July 1st, Edwards hopes to provide Medicaid for over half of those eligible, a bold move in 30 days. While many states (Kentucky being one) that refute the idea of Medicaid expansion take the position that it’s for cost effective purposes, states like Louisiana now understand that it’s money saving for the states in the long run. Additionally, leaving low-income residents with no access to health care will only result in difficulties paying uninsured hospital bills. As Louisiana now champions for Medicaid in the Deep South, hopefully more states will catch on.