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Kasich-Backed Medicaid Expansion Faces Powerful Ohio Panel
By: Associated Press
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COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – A Medicaid expansion championed by Ohio Gov. John Kasich over many fellow Republicans in Columbus and Washington is hanging in the balance again.
A powerful legislative spending panel must decide Monday whether to re-authorize spending for the expansion, which now provides health insurance coverage for more than 700,000 low-income adults.
The Kasich administration needs the state Controlling Board to release the state’s $264 million share to qualify for $638 million in federal matching funds.
Four years ago, Kasich allies stacked the panel to win initial approval for the expansion option made possible under the federal Affordable Care Act.
The GOP-led Legislature included language in this year’s state budget bill freezing expansion and preventing those who drop off from re-enrolling. Kasich vetoed the language.
A threatened veto override hasn’t materialized.