RICHMOND, Va. (AP) – Virginia Republicans have rejected again a bid to expand Medicaid, saying the state can’t afford to extend its public health coverage to thousands of poor adults. The GOP-controlled House of Delegates rejected an amendment to the state’s budget that would have given Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe the ability to expand Medicaid. Thirty-one states have expanded their Medicaid programs under the Affordable Care Act, including some with Republican governors. McAuliffe has tried unsuccessfully for three straight years to expand Medicaid. He renewed his push last month after President Donald Trump’s failed attempt to overhaul health care.
