Beebe: Legislative OK needed for Medicaid expansion

By The Associated Press

Posted: July 18, 2012 at 1:30 p.m.

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LITTLE ROCK — Arkansas Gov. Mike Beebe says it’ll ultimately be up to a supermajority of the state Legislature whether to go forward with an expansion of Medicaid under the federal health care law.

Beebe on Wednesday told reporters that he’s leaning toward proceeding with expanding Medicaid eligibility, especially after the Department of Human Services said Tuesday that the expansion would result in a $372 million net savings for the state over the next several years.

The federal government would pay the full tab for the Medicaid expansion when it begins in 2014. But after three years, states must pay a gradually increasing share that tops out at 10 percent of the cost.

Beebe said even if he agrees with the expansion, the bill appropriating the federal money requires a three-fourths vote in the Legislature.

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