- Medicaid Won't Look the Same Next Year Roll Call by Misty Williams — This year could mark a significant shift for Medicaid programs across the country, as some states look to expand the government insurance program to more poor Americans while others seek to add more requirements for people who benefit. Initiatives to get Medicaid expansion put on the November ballot are underway in Utah, Nebraska, Idaho and Montana. And Virginia lawmakers appear on the verge of securing an expansion deal, after years of rejecting the idea. Meanwhile, Indiana, Kentucky and Arkansas are poised to make precedent-setting changes to their programs in the coming months, such as adding work requirements, while other states await word from the Trump administration on whether they can make other revisions.
- Maine Governor Defies Ballot Initiative Expanding Medicaid Politico by Rachana Pradhan — Maine residents voted decisively last fall to expand the state's Medicaid program. But almost six months later, Gov. Paul LePage still refuses to take action as the state's legislative session winds down, putting the Obamacare coverage program in doubt. LePage, now in his last year in office, has insisted he won't green-light expansion, which is expected to cover 80,000 low-income Maine adults, unless state lawmakers meet his conditions for funding the program that he contends could otherwise bankrupt the state. As chances of a deal with LePage dwindle, the organizers of the Maine ballot initiative are now preparing for a legal showdown to enforce voters' wishes.