State Supreme Court To Hear Medicaid Expansion Case
It's a lawsuit affecting hundreds of thousands of Ohioans. The Ohio Supreme Court is fast-tracking a challenge of Medicaid expansion.
Justices will decide soon whether the state Controlling Board had authority to approve it.
Justices agreed with the plaintiffs that the case should be expedited. Medicaid expansion is set to begin on January 1st.
"The governor's not a king and this board is not an oligarchy and they can't make the law without the help," said Maurice Thompson of the 1851 Center for Constitutional Law. "The constitution requires the legislature to make important policy decisions."
Supporters of Medicaid expansion, including Cathy Levine the executive director of UHCAN Ohio, say they are not worried.
"Over 275,000 Ohioans, including 30,000 veterans are waiting to get health insurance," said Levine. "The Supreme Court recognizes the benefits to Ohio."
The governor's office says he won't comment on the lawsuit.