Charleston Chamber favors Medicaid expansion in S.C.

The Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce says it supports “responsible” Medicaid expansion in South Carolina.

The group announced its position on Wednesday, one day after AARP released results from a February poll showing most adults also favor Medicaid expansion in the state.

“There are two options. South Carolina can accept the Medicaid expansion and receive 90 percent of costs from the federal government or reject the plan and absorb 100 percent of the costs and lose revenue from Washington, D.C.,” said Charleston Chamber President Bryan Derreberry.

“When we looked at the cost benefit of accepting versus rejecting these federal dollars and the added benefit of providing thousands of South Carolinians with better health care, our Board of Directors unanimously made the decision to support expansion,” he said. Gov. Nikki Haley and several other Republican lawmakers in Columbia have been vocal about rejecting federal money to expand the health insurance program for low-income residents.

Reach Lauren Sausser at 937-5598.