Virginia Senate Democrats and rogue Republicans approve Medicaid expansion

Advocates have been trying to get the Virginia Legislature to expand Medicaid for at least five years, and on Wednesday, Senate lawmakers handed them a big win.

Four Republicans joined all 19 Democrats, by a vote of 23-17, to pass a two-year $115 billion budget that includes Medicaid expansion. When state Senators initially voted to add Medicaid expansion, only three Republicans joined. The Senate is expected to also pass its $115 billion two-year budget on Wednesday and both are ex...

As Kentucky rushes to remake Medicaid, advocates try to protect health care for the homeless

Adrienne Bush isn’t a fan of Medicaid work requirements — or as she, the executive director of the Homeless and Housing Coalition of Kentucky, puts it, “coercing people into minimum wage jobs.” In 32 days, Kentucky will begin rolling out its new Medicaid program that conditions insurance on work, along with a host of other new eligibility requirements. So, now, Bush’s priority is harm reduction.

“Right now I’m very worried about implementation and people fal...

Michaelia Cash ordered to give evidence in AWU case – politics live

Labor MP Brendan O’Connor says the Coalition MP’s position is ‘untenable’ and the PM should consider her future. All the day’s events in Canberra, live

Topics being tackled in community affairs estimates today are private health insurance, the pharmaceutical benefits scheme and Medicare.

Senator David Leyonhjelm has asked health department staff about whether doctors who are authorised to prescribe RU486 for medical terminations could have their details listed online to make it easier for women to find them.

The department responds that doing so might breach privacy laws and be a criminal offence, and that there is nothing stopping doctors advertising that they are qualified to provide the medicine themselves. There are 1476 doctors registered to prescribe RU486 in Australia.

Leyonhjelm is told that even if a government-managed list of prescribing doctors was made available, the department would have to consider the cost to the community of continuously updating it.

The Greens are also considering their position on the family court changes:

Delays in the family court system should be addressed by more funding for the courts, legal aid and community legal centres, Greens Justice spokesperson Nick McKim says.

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