Louisiana is now the latest state to participate in Obamacare’s Medicaid expansion, with Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) signing an executive order implementing the expansion Tuesday. The state is aiming for the program to be in effect by July 1, according to The Hill.
Edwards was sworn into office Monday, and Tuesday was his first full day in office.
Edwards defeated U.S. Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) in November to succeed Republican Bobby Jindal — an ardent Obamacare opponent — in the governor’s mansion. Edwards made expanding Medicaid a focal point of his campaign.
The move comes as other red states such as Alabama are warming up to Medicaid expansion and Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin (R) recently backed down from his campaign promise to dismantle the Medicaid expansion there.