History will determine Medicaid victors
Speaker Philip Gunn, R-Clinton, showing a little parliamentary maneuvering of his own, was able to keep the expansion vote from happening during the regular session. But in a tit-for-tat scenario, House Democrats blocked passage of the regular Medicaid program.
Thus, the special session. Not sure who won by forcing the special session except for the Jackson eateries that got the unexpected business from lobbyists wining and dining legislators en masse in June.
In that special session, Democrats did get a vote on Medicaid expansion – sort of. House Minority Leader Bobby Moak, D-Bogue Chitto, offered an amendment to the Medicaid funding bill saying money could not be expended until the House voted on Medicaid expansion.
The amendment was perfectly proper so Gunn had to allow a vote on it. Gunn won on the vote, primarily along party lines.
Over in the Senate, Democrats offered and lost a similar amendment.
But Moak said that all the Democrats had asked for was a vote on Medicaid expansion. He said voting on the amendment placing the condition on the Medicaid expansion was close enough so Moak and most Democrats voted to fund and to reauthorize the existing program for the new fiscal year, which started Monday.
Read more: Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal – BOBBY HARRISON History will determine Medicaid victors
Bobby Harrison
Daily Journal
7/3/13
