State Rep. Nicholas Celebrezze Votes against Partisan Budget that Denies Medicaid Expansion

COLUMBUS- The Ohio House of Representatives passed the state budget this evening without including the expansion of Medicaid, despite widespread support from groups all across the political spectrum and the healthcare industry. Medicaid expansion would have provided healthcare coverage to more than 275,000 Ohioans and created thousands of jobs in the healthcare field. Following the vote, State Rep. Nicholas Celebrezze issued the following statement:

 “I am disheartened that party politics has robbed Ohioans of this meaningful healthcare measure. 

 “We constantly hear about the importance of job creation, but today we had a real opportunity to create jobs while ensuring hundreds of thousands of Ohioans had access to medical care—and the House majority did nothing.

 “It is just another example of how out of touch Columbus has become. Medicaid expansion was an issue that had serious bipartisan support, yet no House Republicans wanted to touch it.”