Healthcare advocates back Medicaid expansion

AP/USA Today, March 10, 2009

Groups pushing for changes in healthcare rallied and lobbied at the state Capitol on Monday. One measure they're backing would expand Medicaid by imposing new fees on hospitals, money they say would be used to get federal matching dollars for a total of $1.2 billion a year. Backers say it could provide health coverage to about 100,000 people and stop hospitals from having to pass along the cost of caring for the uninsured to people who have health insurance.