Medicaid Expansion is on the ballot for three red states (Utah, Nebraska, and Idaho) in November.
In Utah, two-thirds of voters favor Medicaid expansion. Romney has greater favorability ratings in Utah than Trump where 51% of Utahans disapprove of Trump.
Utah's expansion would cover up to 150,000 more residents. Republicans challenged the ballot initiative in court in Nebraska, which the Supreme Court dismissed. Expansion there will expand coverage to 90,000 residents. And Idaho’s proposed expansion, which could cover 62,000, polled at 70 percent last year.
Meanwhile, Montana voters have a chance to reauthorize Medicaid coverage that's set to expire in 2019 for more than 90,000 residents. A report this spring found Montana’s expansion was paying for itself and their uninsured population has dropped in half since Medicaid was expanded there in 2016.
A
recent report on the economic benefits of their Medicaid expansion shows:
- Added $270 million in personal income to Montana’s economy every year.
- Created 5,000 jobs.
- Contributed $500 million annually in increased economic output in our state.
Montana's cons are proposing to lower property taxes with their $400 million surplus this year. Montana is discussing whether to lower health insurance costs further by self-insuring their program.
