Sen. Creigh Deeds, D-Charlottesville, said that if congressional Republicans follow through it could mean cutting coverage for 630,000 low-income Virginians, or the state picking up a bill of $2.5 billion a year.
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Congressional Republicans’ talk of cutting trillions from Medicaid – including the enhanced funding that allowed Virginia to expand one of the nation’s most limited Medicaid plans – could leave the state with a dire choice: cut coverage for 630,000 low-income Virginians, or pick up a bill of $2.5 billion a year, state Sen. Creigh Deeds, D-Charlottesville said.
Washington covers 90% of the cost of Medicaid expansion. Virginia and 11 other states with relatively high statewide median incomes pay a minimum of 50% for most costs of Medicaid, the joint federal and state health coverage program for people with disabilities and low-income Americans.
The federal government covers larger shares of other states’ Medicaid costs, up to the 76.9% Mississippi receives.
The difference between 50% and 90% support is now running at $2.5 billion a year, Deeds said.
