McAuliffe Signals No Retreat On Expanding Medicaid

Speaking to a business-oriented crowd, Gov.-elect Terry McAuliffe made a full-throated push for Medicaid expansion Wednesday, signaling no retreat on the contentious issue heading into his first General Assembly session.

After his hard-fought win over Republican Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli two weeks ago, some pundits suggested the Democrat would be hard-pressed to deliver on his promise to expand the health insurance program for low-income people because of opposition in the heavily Republican House of Delegates.

But McAuliffe showed no sign of backing down Wednesday, urging business executives to personally lobby their legislators on the issue.

Medicaid expansion is a key component of the federal health care overhaul - one that was left as a state option by the U.S. Supreme Court.

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