A judge ruled Friday the House can’t continue an appeal of Governor Bill Walker’s decision to expand Medicaid. This could be a fatal blow to the attempt to reverse the expansion.
Superior Court Judge Frank Pfiffner concluded that the House can’t step in for the Legislative Council in appealing the lawsuit. House members wanted to pursue the appeal, saying that Walker’s actions violated the separation of powers. But senators have wanted to end the appeal.
Nearly 18,000 Alaskans have joined Medicaid since Walker expanded the program last year.
Andrew Kitchenman is the state government and politics reporter for Alaska Public Media and KTOO in Juneau. Reach him at akitchenman@alaskapublic.org.
