Governor Rick Snyder says he intends to sign a bill that will extend Medicaid benefits to hundreds of thousands of Michiganders. The bill cleared the state Legislature Tuesday.
But as The Michigan Public Radio’s Jake Neher reports, the expansion will likely be delayed until March or April of next year.
That’s because the Senate blocked a measure that would allow the expansion to take effect at the beginning of next year. Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville says he does not plan to hold another vote on the issue.
“It’s my opinion that the votes were already cast, there wasn’t anybody planning to change their mind, so let’s just go ahead and send the bill over to the House,” he says.
Governor Rick Snyder says the state could lose up to seven million federal dollars every day the expansion is delayed.
Once he signs the bill, it will also have to be approved by the federal government. That process could take months.
