By Rashana Pradhan (Politico) –
The Virginia Senate on Wednesday approved Medicaid expansion for hundreds of thousands of low-income adults, putting the state on the verge of becoming just the second to approve the major Obamacare program in the Trump era.
Once Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam signs the bill, a top priority of his new administration, Virginia will become the 33rd state to adopt the Obamacare program, which is expected to cover as many as 400,000 people.
Northam was able to make inroads with statehouse Republicans — who had long rebuffed his Democratic predecessor Terry McAuliffe‘s expansion efforts — after the GOP suffered major electoral losses in November that nearly flipped control of one legislative chamber to Democrats.