Governor Northam announced that more than 300,000 Virginians are covered by Medicaid since the Commonwealth expanded access a year ago. This news is not just an achievement for the women and men who worked so hard on enrollment, but for all Virginia communities.
Research has shown that people in states without Medicaid Expansion face dire and sometimes deadly consequences. Furthermore, rural hospitals and under-funded inner city health care systems are more likely to stay afloat with increased Medicaid access.
Virginia House Democratic Leader Eileen Filler-Corn has issued the following statement:
“Medicaid expansion in Virginia is welcome and life-saving news. I am proud to have worked with my colleagues to expand healthcare coverage in our Commonwealth and I regret that it didn’t come soon enough for many Virginians.
“Until their backs were against the wall, Republicans fought expansion of Medicaid, at the expense of the most vulnerable residents in our state.
“Now we must envision what Virginia can look like in the future. From expanding access to health care, improving education and continuing to improve our roads, Democratic leadership in the House will better the lives of Virginians across our Commonwealth by tackling our most urgent challenges.”