Senate drama leads to key promise of Medicaid vote

Last week’s brash plays to force Medicaid expansion votes during floor debates in the House and Senate didn’t work, not surprisingly. After the drama in her chamber, Senate President Susan Wagle, R-Wichita, even sacked Sen. Mary Pilcher-Cook, R-Shawnee, as chairwoman of the Senate’s health committee. But Wagle’s assertion of her leadership came with a key promise to hold a Senate vote on Medicaid expansion “in the next few weeks” (as well as a restatement of her opposition to the “budget-busting” move). The state’s hospitals and uninsured deserve that much from both chambers, and an opportunity to see where every lawmaker stands on a matter of increasing urgency to the state. – Rhonda Holman

This story was originally published February 15, 2016 at 6:05 PM.