Politics & Government

Virginia Democrats: Expand Medicaid or Face Budget Stalemate

An estimated 420,000 Virginians would gain health insurance through this expansion, according to Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy.

Medicaid expansion was not included in Gov. Bob McDonnell's proposed 2012-14 budget, but Senate Democrats are pushing for it to be added.

"Democrats in the evenly divided Senate signaled Sunday that they will try to force another budget stalemate unless the General Assembly agrees to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act," The Washington Post reported.

Fredericksburg Physician Christopher Lillis supports Medicaid expansion in Virginia. 

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"We must urge our leaders to be mindful of social justice when they craft policy," said Lillis, who is on the board of Doctors for America and also volunteers at the Moss Free Clinic in Fredericksburg. "In the face of scarce resources, we must focus on those with the greatest needs."

"We are getting to a place where the profit in the practice of medicine is dominating the morality of the practice of medicine," Lillis said.

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"In Virginia, hospitals are on the Medicaid expansion side because they realize they will benefit," Lillis said.  The Virginia Chapter of the American College of Physicians has also endorsed Medicaid expansion, Lillis said.

"A healthy population actually needs less medical resources because they get routine care and early diagnosis, which then requires less expensive interventions," he said.

The stalemate during the 2012 preparation of the state's two year budget was over Senate committee assignments and transportation funding. It failed when Sen. Charles J. Colgan (D-Prince William) voted with Republicans. 

This year, "... a budget stalemate would not pose the threat of a government shutdown because legislators are working on amendments. If legislators do not come to an agreement, the state would keep operating under the budget approved last year," The Washington Post said.

The Supreme Court's June 2012 ruling on the Affordable Care Act said Medicaid Expansion is an optional decision left up to individual states. "An estimated 420,000 Virginians would gain health insurance through this expansion," Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy said in a press release. Virginia would receive about $2 million a year from the program, according to The Washington Post.

Related Stories:

Doctor: It's Not Too Late for Medicaid Expansion in Va.

Video: Fredericksburg Doctor Urges Support for Medicaid Expansion

Where each state stands on ACA's Medicaid expansion (The Advisory Board Company)

Medicaid Expansion: States Must Meet Obamacare Standards To Get Full Federal Funding (Huffington Post)

Nuns on the Bus in Fredericksburg to Advocate for Medicaid Expansion

Virginia Leaders React to Supreme Court Ruling on Affordable Care Act

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