Bid to keep Arkansas Medicaid plan falls short in Senate
LITTLE ROCK—An effort to continue the hybrid Arkansas Medicaid expansion another year failed Monday in the state Senate, days after Republican efforts to repeal and replace the federal health law that enabled the expanded coverage faltered in Congress.
The budget bill for the state's Medicaid program and the expansion failed on two votes—by a 19-1 and a 20-1 margin—falling short of the 27 needed to approve the budget measure. Legislative leaders said they planned to try again with the proposal on Tuesday, and were confident they had the votes needed.
The top Republican in the Senate said he didn't believe the program would be blocked while the future of the federal health law remains in limbo.
"I don't think there's sufficient will right now to start blocking budgets when we don't even know what's going to happen or how long it's going to take," Senate Majority Jim Hendren said after the votes. "We owe the state of Arkansas a budget and I think most people understand that."
Read more: http://www.texarkanagazette.com/news/arkansas/story/2017/mar/28/bid-keep-arkansas-medicaid-plan-falls-short-senate/667273/