On The Ledge: The Battle Over Medicaid Expansion

By Mark Brodie, Steve Goldstein
Published: Friday, February 7, 2014 - 3:40pm
Updated: Friday, February 7, 2014 - 3:42pm
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(Photo courtesy of Arizona State Legislature)
Andy Tobin.

We now bring you a recurring segment we are calling, "On the Ledge." You know, about the goings-on with the state legislature.

For anyone who thought the battle over Medicaid expansion at the state capitol ended with last year’s session…well, yeah, about that. A state house committee on Thursday approved two bills dealing with Medicaid. Speaker Andy Tobin’s would, among other things, put a five year cap on recipients and require them to prove they are looking for work. The second bill would repeal the expansion approved last year. Republican Rep. Adam Kwasman of Oro Valley is that measure’s sponsor.

We should also mention that both he and Andy Tobin are running for Congress this year in Congressional District 1.
 
Although political reality makes it clear that attempts to overturn the Medicaid expansion will most likely hit a dead end, former Republican legislative leader Chris Herstam said the efforts by Rep. Kwasman and Speaker Tobin are hardly surprising.

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