A push to expand Louisiana's Medicaid program as allowed under the federal health care has been overwhelmingly rejected by the Senate health committee.
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - A push to expand Louisiana's Medicaid program as allowed under the federal health care has been overwhelmingly rejected by the Senate health committee.
The definitive 6-2 vote Wednesday against expansion likely ends the Senate's debate on the issue for the session.
Sen. Ben Nevers' bill would have let voters decide whether to direct Gov. Bobby Jindal's administration to offer insurance coverage to up to 250,000 adults, mainly the working poor - with most of the cost picked up by the federal government.
Opponents, including Jindal, say the expansion is too costly to the state and federal government.
The vote of the Senate Health and Welfare Committee divided along party lines. Republicans voted to kill the measure, while Democrats supported passage.