Medicaid Expansion Looks Likely Under La.'s Next Governor

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — While Gov. Bobby Jindal repeatedly refused to take federal health care money to expand Louisiana's Medicaid program, the men seeking to follow him into office are less reluctant to accept the cash.

The four main contenders vying to be Louisiana's next governor on the Oct. 24 ballot all say they'd be willing to extend government-financed health insurance to the working poor.

That includes the three GOP candidates.

But those Republicans — Public Service Commissioner Scott Angelle, Lt. Gov. Jay Dardenne and U.S. Sen. David Vitter — have caveats on what type of expansion program they'd be willing to enact and how they'd craft it.

Each approach would require extensive negotiations with the federal government.

Democratic state Rep. John Bel Edwards doesn't equivocate. He says he'd "do it day one."