Medical assistance services; Governor to work together with General Assembly to extend program. (HR129)

Introduced By

Del. Patrick Hope (D-Arlington) with support from 28 copatrons, whose average partisan position is:

Those copatrons are Del. Mamye BaCote (D-Newport News), Del. Bob Brink (D-Arlington), Del. David Bulova (D-Fairfax), Del. Betsy Carr (D-Richmond), Del. Eileen Filler-Corn (D-Fairfax Station), Del. Charniele Herring (D-Alexandria), Del. Daun Hester (D-Norfolk), Del. Algie Howell (D-Norfolk), Del. Matthew James (D-Portsmouth), Del. Joseph Johnson (D-Abingdon), Del. Mark Keam (D-Vienna), Del. Kaye Kory (D-Falls Church), Del. Rob Krupicka (D-Alexandria), Del. Alfonso Lopez (D-Arlington), Del. Delores McQuinn (D-Richmond), Del. Ken Plum (D-Reston), Del. Jim Scott (D-Merrifield), Del. Mark Sickles (D-Alexandria), Del. Luke Torian (D-Woodbridge), Del. David Toscano (D-Charlottesville), Del. Roslyn Tyler (D-Jarratt), Del. Onzlee Ware (D-Roanoke), Sen. Roz Dance (D-Petersburg), Sen. Lynwood Lewis (D-Accomac), Sen. Jennifer McClellan (D-Richmond), Sen. Joe Morrissey (D-Richmond), Sen. Lionell Spruill (D-Chesapeake), Sen. Scott Surovell (D-Mount Vernon)

Progress

Introduced
Passed Committee
Passed House
Passed Senate

Description

Encouraging the Governor of the Commonwealth to work together with the General Assembly to extend the Commonwealth's program of medical assistance pursuant to Title XIX of the United States Social Security Act as authorized by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Encourages the Governor to work together with the General Assembly to extend the Commonwealth's program of medical assistance services as authorized by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Read the Bill »

Outcome

Bill Has Failed

History

DateAction
01/15/2013Presented and ordered printed 13103553D
01/15/2013Referred to Committee on Rules
01/31/2013Tabled in Rules

Comments

Lee Delye writes:

The Commonwealth will be foolish to leave 400,000 low-income people without health insurance. The numbers are familiar: at the 3-year introductory rate: Free!!; after that we would pay just 10% of the cost for the Medicaid expansion. If only I could get such a deal from Verizon for its Fios service, but I'm afraid they are not that generous. Plus Verizon is in the business of making profit; the Feds are in the busimess of improving our healthcare and bringing down the healthcare costs. We pay by far the highest rates for our coverage now with the private, for profit health insurance model we've had, and yet we are 51st in the world for life expectancy, and 29th in infant mortality, where we are sandwiched in between the Farroe Islands and Croatia.
With Virginia Medicaid Expansion, almost all of the 400,000 are working adults. The problem is that our minimum wage pays so little and so many employers don't offer health insurance, there are many who work full-time who fall within the 133% of the poverty line, which is the lasso for the proposed coverage.
If Federal contribution falls below 90% in the future, then we can withdraw from the program, but why not take the deal now and see?