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Regional Journalism
Dispatches from public radio's correspondent at the Washington Legislature. Austin Jenkins is the Olympia correspondent for the Northwest News Network. You can also see Austin on television as host of TVW's (the C–SPAN of Washington State) weekly public affairs program "Inside Olympia."

Health Advocates Rally In Olympia For Medicaid Expansion

Alexandra Kocik
/
Northwest News Network

OLYMPIA, Wash. – More than 100 health care advocates gathered in Olympia in support of Medicaid expansion Thursday. It coincided with an announcement by Gov. Jay Inslee, unveiling his budget priorities. His proposal includes an expansion of Medicaid.

That pleases Lauren Granger, a healthcare worker at the rally.

“I really hope that the legislature hears this message and isn’t pinching pennies in the wrong place and just have it be more expensive later on,” she says.

The expansion of Medicaid coverage is part of the Affordable Care Act. In Washington, it means more than 300,000 people not currently covered by the program would get insurance. It would extend to single low-income residents who don’t now qualify.

On the Web:

Gov. Inslee's budget priorities - Office of the Governor