Ledbetter talks expanded health coverage through private-public partnership

As to how to improve the state’s quality of health care, Ledbetter floated the idea of expanding Medicaid with a privatized approach, saying that discussions on the idea among Legislative leaders were ongoing. Ledbetter said they’d tasked an economist to research the idea, and that he had received a report recently that showed some promising findings were the state to expand Medicaid through a private-public partnership.“With the money that you get down from the federal government, you could make it last almost ten years if you manage it right,” he said. “Not only that, you’re going to bring an additional $175 million to $200 million into the tax dollars. But I think the important part is that there’s a (health coverage) gap with our people in the state.