Nebraska’s top court: Voters to decide on expanding Medicaid
LINCOLN, Neb. — Nebraska’s highest court dismissed a lawsuit Wednesday that would have stripped a Medicaid expansion proposal off the November ballot, clearing the way for voters to decide a measure that has been repeatedly rejected by the Republican-dominated Legislature.
The Nebraska Supreme Court’s rejection of a GOP-led lawsuit was a victory for advocates who say the measure would help an estimated 90,000 low-income residents get covered under the Affordable Care Act.
“The Nebraska Supreme Court has once again landed on the side of voters,” said Meg Mandy, campaign manager for the ballot group Insure the Good Life. The 135,000 signatures gathered during the ballot petition drive “strongly shows that people want to have the opportunity to vote on this issue.”
The measure would cover residents aged 19 to 64 who earn too much to qualify for regular Medicaid but too little to get federal subsidies under the health care law.