The Virginia Senate has opted to wait another week before acting on the state budget.  It appeared earlier this week that the Senate might take up its budget bill following media reports that Sen. Emmett Hanger and Del. Chris Jones, key budget negotiators, had reached an agreement on Medicaid expansion. In a scheduled floor session on Tuesday, Senators did not consider the latest compromise proposal. 

Of importance to VHCA-VCAL members, the compromise reached by Sen. Hanger and Del. Jones includes funding for the Medicaid inflation increases for nursing centers. 

The additional week offers Senators time to review the latest proposal supported by Hanger and Jones. This proposal would fund Medicaid expansion with a hospital provider tax.

The Senate Finance Committee has scheduled a meeting for May 29 at which it is expected the committee will consider the latest iteration of the budget.  If the committee passes the budget bill, it will advance to the full Senate where it is expected that there are the votes to pass a budget that includes Medicaid expansion.