Medicaid Expansion Benefits Kick in for More than 225,000 Louisianans Tomorrow

Washington, D.C. – Health coverage under Medicaid expansion will kick in tomorrow for the more than 225,000 Louisianans who signed up since enrollment began on June 1. Gov. John Bel Edwards has set a goal of having 375,000 enrolled by next July 1. Louisiana set the stage to become the 31st state, plus the District of Columbia, to accept Medicaid expansion back in January under an executive order issued by Gov. Edwards on his second day in office. Medicaid expansion provides health coverage for people who earn too much to qualify for traditional Medicaid, but not enough to qualify for subsidies on the insurance exchange. Most of those covered by Medicaid expansion are working adults. Following is the statement of Families USA Executive Director Ron Pollack.

“This is the first step to both a healthier and more prosperous Louisiana. Instead of waiting until they are sick, and then going to the emergency room for more expensive medical treatment, low-income Louisianans will be able to get the kind of preventive services they need to keep them healthy, and manage chronic conditions more effectively.

“Gov. Edwards should be congratulated. He set an ambitious deadline for his Administration when he announced back in January that Medicaid expansion coverage would begin on July 1. Not only did he meet that goal, but more than 225,000 people, and counting, have signed up. This is truly an amazing start and we look forward to seeing continued progress.”