Gov. John Bel Edwards issues executive order to expand Medicaid

Louisiana is now the latest state to participate in Obamacare’s Medicaid expansion, with Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) signing an executive order implementing the expansion Tuesday.

“We want to bring our federal tax dollars back home to help us ensure healthier outcomes for our people”, Edwards said on Tuesday.

Under the governor’s plan, Louisiana would join 30 other states that have undertaken Medicaid expansions, including several states overseen by Republicans.

In June the state approved a budget that credit analysts at Moody’s accused of being over-reliant on one-time measures, an assessment then-Governor Bobby Jindal disputed.

“Tomorrow we can talk about the good time we had, roll up our sleeves and get to work”, said Edwards.

Edwards takes over from Jindal, a Republican who had been criticized for focusing on his presidential campaign at the expense of Louisiana.

Edwards also called out the state for its low marks in education, saying it must make college more affordable while working toward a goal of funding higher education with 50 percent state support and 50 percent tuition and fees.

And the state hasn’t identified a way to pay for its cost-share in the future.

He says under the expansion, individuals making up to $16,242 per year and $33,465 for families of up to four would be elligible to get Medicaid health insurance, an increase of around 300,000 people. But expansion efforts have been stymied in most Southern states amid GOP resistance.

The governor orders the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals to create any and all state plan amendments to expand Medicaid to adults who are at or below 138 percent of the federal poverty level with an effective date of no later than July 1.

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards announces he is starting the process for expanding Louisiana’s Medicaid program as allowed under the federal health care law, Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2016, in Baton Rouge, La.