September 30, 2009

Nevada Senator Harry Reid today addressed critics of his work to help Nevada cover its residents as part of health insurance reform. "There is not a single state in the nation that has felt the full force of the foreclosure crisis like Nevada.  Our unemployment rate is more than 13 percent," said Reid. "Nevadans are hurting and I make absolutely no apologies, none, for helping people in my state and our nation who are hurting the most. And that's why we're supporting Nevada's Medicaid program."

Senator Reid reached an agreement with the Senate Finance Chairman, Senator Max Baucus, to provide the state full federal funding for people added to Nevada Medicaid under the program expansion included in the legislation. Under this deal, federal Medicaid dollars flowing into Nevada will increase by more than 30 percent while the state will only have to increase its funding by 1.6 percent.