Lawmakers Stand up for Taxpayers, Reject Medicaid Expansion

Yesterday, 108 House Representatives voted to protect taxpayers from an expansion of the broken and unaffordable Medicaid program. You can thank them here.

Medicaid expansion is an optional part of Obamacare that would result in quarter of Pennsylvanians on government health care.

It takes courage to say no “free money” from Washington but these lawmakers understand that the short-term gain will be followed by long-term pain. The expansion is estimated to cost Pennsylvania taxpayers billions over the next decade in both state and local taxes, and would have resulted in untold harm to the poor who experience long wait times and worse health outcomes under Medicaid.

Before the vote, 33 representatives signed a letter promising to vote against the budget if Medicaid expansion was included in any of the budget-related bills. These lawmakers deserve special praise. Their united front was essential in defeating a last-minute expansion effort.

Please take a moment to thank these brave men and women who stood on principle to protect you and set Pennsylvania on a path to real health care reform.

Finally, a big thank you to Americans for Prosperity Pennsylvania for their tireless efforts to reassure lawmakers that Pennsylvanians do not want to expand Obamacare.