Nebraska delays Medicaid expansion until October 2020

The expansion of Medicaid health care coverage to an estimated 94,000 Nebraskans that was approved by voters in 2018 will not begin until Oct. 1, 2020, the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services announced Monday.

The two-year delay is necessitated by the need to build and implement a new system to manage the Medicaid benefits that are targeted at a new category of recipients composed largely of Nebraskans who work at low-wage jobs, DHHS officials said Monday in unveiling the plan.

Sen. Adam Morfeld of Lincoln, who led the Medicaid expansion drive, swiftly rejected the long delay as "not acceptable and in violation of the law and completely against the clearly expressed will of the people."

Morfeld said "litigation may be the best option" now.

Read more: https://journalstar.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/nebraska-delays-medicaid-expansion-until-october-morfeld-threatens-lawsuit/article_a5e841aa-ee94-5d1b-9fa2-62f7bc48b9c1.html