House Democrats Call For Temporary Medicaid Expansion to Cover Uninsured

On the day when the South Carolina House of Representatives began voting on the state's budget, a group of leading Democrats called for the state to temporarily expand Medicaid.

Minority leader Todd Rutherford of Richland Co. and Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter of Organgeburg Co. were the featured speakers among more than a dozen Democrats at a statehouse press conference.

The Democrats' proposal--dubbed "Plan C"--would cover 250-500,000 residents, according to Cobb-Hunter. The plan would be funded for three years and be paid for through the federal dollars associated with ObamaCare.

"The tax dollars will go to other states if we pass on what is basically the opportunity of a lifetime," Rutherford said.

The speakers acknowledged that after three years there were no guarantees that the money would be available or that the legislature would vote to fund it.

"I think people would like having health care for three years versus not having it at all," Cobb-Hunter said. Both she and Rutherford said legislators have a "moral obligation" to make the funds available for citizens, even if it's only on an interim basis.

Judging from the response of Gov. Nikki Haley, it doesn't seem likely that she'll change her mind and accept the federal dollars.

Rob Godfrey, Haley's spokesman, said, "First, there is no such thing as a temporary entitlement program, and second, no matter how many promises Washington makes, we’re not buying it, and we're certainly not putting the people of South Carolina on the hook to the tune of billions of dollars for a program that already doesn't work."

The House will vote on Medicaid funding on Tuesday.