The Alaska Legislature’s committee with gatekeeping authority over expediting the governor’s Medicaid plans meets Wednesday, but does not intend to take up the welfare program’s expansion.
That’s according to the office of Rep. Mike Hawker, who chairs the Legislative Budget and Audit Committee.
If the committee does not act on the governor’s plans, the expansion of Medicaid is expected to go forward automatically on Sept. 1. Gov. Bill Walker announced Thursday his intent to expand Medicaid without the legislature’s blessing.
Hawker has previously said he supports Medicaid expansion.
Separately, the committee is taking up contract proposals on Wednesday to hire a Medicaid expert to consult for the legislature through the 2016 legislative season.
