It’s a major win for the Ralph Northam administration. Some Republican senators crossed party lines to pass the legislation:
The Virginia Senate has passed Medicaid Expansion, with the State House on board it looks like expansion is almost assured! The state senate was considered the biggest hurdle. Three republicans joined with 19 Democrats on the measure. #MedicaidExpansion #vapol #Virginia pic.twitter.com/u9xTzK8FG8
— Matthew Isbell (@mcimaps) May 30, 2018
As Vox noted on Wednesday, the Virginia House had passed a version of expansion, but will vote again on the Senate’s version. The bill is expected to pass.
Those on the left, however, should note one important caveat. From Politico:
The Wednesday vote on a budget that included Medicaid expansion took place after two key Republicans in the House and Senate agreed on a plan that includes a work requirement and mandates that enrollees above the federal poverty line must pay more out of pocket for care. The proposal, which was approved on a 23-17 vote, relies on provider taxes to cover Virginia’s expansion costs.
So today’s vote is a victory with costs. Thousands of low-income Virginia now confront fewer obstacles to health care, but they’ll still have to clear a work requirement hurdle.