Buh-bye, Bobby Jindal. Hello, Governor John Bel Edwards, the newly-elected Democratic governor of Louisiana who just signed an executive order to expand Medicaid to tens of thousands in that state.
“We are consistently ranked one of the poorest and unhealthiest states, and this cycle will not be broken as long as anyone in Louisiana has to choose between their health and their financial security,” Mr. Edwards said Tuesday at a signing event at the Louisiana Capitol. He was flanked by health care industry representatives and a handful of the 300,000 working-class Louisiana residents who he said would be newly eligible for Medicaid when the expanded coverage takes effect on July 1.
“This will not only afford them peace of mind,” Mr. Edwards added, “but also to help prevent them from slipping further into poverty and give them a fighting chance for a better life."
...In Louisiana, 298,000 uninsured adults will be eligible for Medicaid under the expansion, according to an analysis last year by the state’s Legislative Fiscal Office. An additional 224,000 adults with private insurance would also be eligible.
I agree, and applaud Governor Edwards for making this a priority in his new administration. Well done, sir!
