Report: Corbett Will Accept Medicaid Expansion…Basically


Corbett must really be worried about his re-election chances (if not the uninsured of Pennsylvania). Several outlets are reporting that he will go ahead with the expansion of Obamacare’s Medicaid expansion (more on that here) which he’s been dithering/changing his mind about for months. EXCEPT: He’s pretty much refusing to call it an actual “expansion” and vows that significant reforms have to be made to Medicaid before implementing said Obama policy that must not be named. Since the initial reports came out, his administration has said that he’s not actually going for the expansion, but instead, seek some sort of a private sector solution that would achieve some of the same goals (ostensibly).

One option could be to utilize private-sector health plans, rather than increase Medicaid enrollment. Iowa and Arkansas are considering such an approach. That would enable the states to get federal money for backing expansion and buy private insurance for low-income residents.

So, to recap: It looks like Corbett will expand Medicaid in some way to cover more low-income people who are uninsured. But he won’t call it that and will try to do it in a more private sectory-way. Stay tuned.