North Dakota House committee rejects major changes on Medicaid expansion

BISMARCK — North Dakota House lawmakers declined to back major changes to the state's Medicaid expansion program Tuesday, April 9, marking a victory for health care providers who lobbied against the proposal.

A panel of House budget-writers rejected Gov. Doug Burgum's plan to have the Department of Human Services administer Medicaid expansion and cut provider reimbursement rates. In his budget address last year, the Republican governor said the changes would "free up" money and allow the state to "reinvest in access to behavioral health services.”

North Dakota is one of 36 states, along with the District of Columbia, to expand Medicaid eligibility to more low-income residents under the Affordable Care Act, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.

The program currently covers about 20,000 North Dakotans and is mostly federally funded. Department of Human Services Executive Director Chris Jones said North Dakota's costs are more than two times the national average.

Read more: https://www.inforum.com/news/government-and-politics/1002057-North-Dakota-House-committee-rejects-major-changes-on-Medicaid-expansion