Brown, Democrats Wrangle Over Medicaid Expansion

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California was an early booster of President Barack Obama's health care law and its Democratic political leadership was quick to commit to the optional Medicaid expansion. But it turns out that saying yes was the easy part.

It's been months since Gov. Jerry Brown agreed to expand health care to some 1.4 million residents under the Medicaid expansion, but he and Democratic lawmakers are still wrangling over the details.

Brown is wary of incurring additional health care costs in the future and wants budget savings by reducing county support for indigent care.

Democratic lawmakers and health advocates fear that even a short delay on the Medicaid expansion will cost California hundreds of millions of dollars in federal support.

The state is scheduled to launch its insurance marketplace on Oct. 1.

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.