Beshear Still Weighing Medicaid Expansion; Will Make Decision Early Next Year

Kenny Colston — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 18:06:42 +0000

Gov. Steve Beshear says he'll make a decision about Medicaid expansion in Kentucky by early next year.

While many states are still deciding on the early elements of the Affordable Care Act -- also known as Obamacare -- Kentucky has only one decision left: whether to opt in to Medicaid expansion.

Under the health care law, the federal government will pay 100 percent of costs for three years if states expand their Medicaid rolls to 138 percent of the poverty line.

Federal Healthcare Law and Kentucky Medicaid, Youth

Devin Katayama — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 17:32:01 +0000

The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to uphold President Barack Obama’s healthcare overhaul law, known as the Affordable Care Act, could extend Medicaid to 300,000 more Kentuckians if the state decides to accept the terms laid out in the law.

The court ruled the federal government cannot withhold Medicaid funds to states that choose not to implement rules under the ACA, but if states choose to increase the poverty level for eligibility to 133 percent, the federal government will support them.

Kevin Russell from scotusblog.com explains: