November 20, 2018 By Haider David Andazola
Categories: Medicaid , Medicaid News , Medicaid Expansion , Waivers
Despite all of the drama surrounding the 2018 midterm elections, one thing was clear: Medicaid had a big night on November 6, 2018.
In particular, the electorate in the Red states of Nebraska, Idaho, and Utah voted to expand Medicaid (i.e. extend Medicaid coverage to low-income able-bodied adults). Although the Montana electorate rejected a ballot measure that would have permanently funded the Medicaid expansion in that state beyond 2019, it's worth noting that much of the opposition against this measure came from the tobacco industry (the Medicaid expansion would have been funded by an excise tax on tobacco sales).
Furthermore, gubernatorial victories for the Democrats in Kansas, Maine, and Wisconsin suggest that a Medicaid expansion in those states may be coming.
All in all, as we saw during the Republican-led Congress' effort to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (and block granting Medicaid), the Medicaid program – and the ACA expansion of the program in particular – has proven to be resilient.
However, there is one important thing to keep in mind here: even as Nebraska, Idaho, and Utah will be expanding Medicaid, it is possible that they will do so with a conservative flavor. Indeed, we have written before about the numerous Republican twists on Medicaid expansion (here, here) through section 1115 waivers. If the past is any predictor of the future, we expect to see similar conservative requirements attached to these new Medicaid expansion states.