Medicaid fight reinvigorated with political light on healthcare

The addition of Rep. Paul Ryan to the GOP ticket is certain to elevate healthcare as a campaign issue this fall. Most of the debate is likely to be about Medicare and Ryan's controversial plan to transform the popular program for the elderly and disabled. But some of the attention is likely to focus on Medicaid, the healthcare program for those with low incomes, as well. The Supreme Court earlier this summer put the program in the news when it ruled that the Medicaid expansion in the 2010 healthcare law must be optional for states. That's given more ammunition to Republicans, including presidential candidate Mitt Romney, who want to offer states far more responsibility for Medicaid.