Westerman proposes putting Medicaid expansion money into highways
May 22, 2015
An Arkansas congressman has set his sights on the Affordable Care Act's Medicaid expansion to shore up an insolvent federal Highway Trust Fund that has required nearly 30 short-term extensions since 2009.
U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman, R-Hot Springs, filed his Prioritizing American Roads and Jobs Act of 2015 on Thursday as a long-term solution to help fund a nearly $16 billion annual shortfall with the Highway Trust Fund and pay down some of the national debt.
"It's a huge injustice to traditional Medicaid when you have an able-bodied working adult getting more coverage than a blind, disabled person," Westerman said. "Even if it's not used for the trust fund, something needs to be done about it."