Vote On Louisiana Medicaid Set For Wednesday

Lawmakers are readying for their first vote on whether to challenge Governor Bobby Jindal's refusal to tap into billions of federal dollars to expand Louisiana's Medicaid program.

Political squabbling over the federal health care law will be the near sole focus of Wednesday's House Health and Welfare Committee hearing.

Five measures on the agenda, all sponsored by Democrats, seek to enact the Medicaid expansion.

Republican and Democratic party officials have fired off attacks in anticipation of the debate. But the issue is murkier than partisan politics.

Several GOP lawmakers — particularly in the Senate — say the state should at least consider different expansion models to offer coverage to hundreds of thousands of uninsured.

Jindal says the expansion is too costly and would expand an inefficient entitlement program.