Louisiana senators refuse tax review of Medicaid eligibility

Associated Press: State senators Monday shelved the latest effort to give Louisiana’s legislative auditor access to income tax data to check Medicaid eligibility, in an ongoing fight that has developed since Gov. John Bel Edwards expanded the state’s Medicaid program to cover thousands more people.

The Senate Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Committee voted 5-3 against the House-approved proposal from Republican Rep. Tony Bacala, of Prairieville, the second year in a row the committee has rejected such an idea. The vote fell along party lines with Republicans supporting Bacala’s bill and Democrats opposed.

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