Ohio GOP governor backs federal Medicaid expansion

(AP) Ohio GOP governor backs federal Medicaid expansion
By ANN SANNER
Associated Press
COLUMBUS, Ohio
Ohio’s Republican governor wants to expand Medicaid under the federal health care law to cover more poor people in the state.

Gov. John Kasich’s (KAY’-sihks) decision announced Monday is likely to face opposition within his own party from conservatives against President Barack Obama’s health care law.

Kasich has criticized the law as well and its potential long-term costs.

The state thinks 365,000 Ohioans will be eligible for coverage under the expansion right away and expects to get $2.4 billion in federal funds over the next two years for the expansion.

A group of Ohio’s doctors and hospitals backs the idea.

The U.S. Supreme Court left it up to states last year to decide whether to expand Medicaid.

Kasich now will need to persuade the Republican-controlled state Legislature to go along.