Politico's Pulse Check

When the Affordable Care Act was first signed into law, the state of Virginia led the fight against it. Eight years later, Virginia — with state Democrats on the upswing — is on the verge of expanding Medicaid, and more than 300,000 state residents could get covered as a result. First, POLITICO reviews the windy road that led to 32 states saying yes to Medicaid expansion. Then Del. Alfonso Lopez, the whip for Virginia House Democrats, explains what's ahead as he and his colleagues work to finalize a Medicaid expansion deal. (Starts at the 8:20 mark.) We'd appreciate your help: Please share PULSE CHECK and rate us on your favorite podcast app! Have questions, suggestions or feedback — especially on an episode like this one, where we tried something a little different? Email ddiamond@politico.com. Referenced on the podcast: Virginia Republicans said the backlash to Medicaid expansion has been milder than expected: https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/republican-medicaid-expanders-in-va-sa