South Dakota voters adopted the program last month, bypassing the state’s conservative Legislature. But only two more states have the ability to vote on Medicaid expansion, while the remaining 11 states will need to win over GOP lawmakers.
Since 2017, Medicaid expansion has been adopted in seven states where a question was placed directly on the ballot. But campaign leaders say that strategy may not work in Florida.
Republican-led legislatures have repeatedly thwarted Medicaid expansion in a dozen conservative states, despite high numbers of uninsured residents. In recent years, supporters of expansion have found success with another strategy: letting voters decide.