Scaling back Medicaid would hit Pennsylvania hard, Dems warn

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - State officials are warning about the consequences in Pennsylvania should Congress and President Donald Trump repeal the expansion of Medicaid under Democrats’ 2010 federal health care law.

Key members of Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration expressed concern Monday that more than 670,000 Pennsylvanians would lose their health insurance if the provision is eliminated.

Separately, Auditor General Eugene DePasquale says low-income and rural residents will be hit the hardest if the Medicaid expansion is scaled back.

Treasurer Joe Torsella also warned that ending the $3 billion in federal payments to Pennsylvania’s Medicaid program would lead to the loss of thousands of jobs and worsen the state’s long-term budget deficit.

The federal government says another 321,000 Pennsylvanians signed up for a federally subsidized insurance plan through HealthCare.gov in 2016.