State Policy · SC
SC Governor Candidates Clash Over Medicaid Expansion in Debate
In the only scheduled South Carolina gubernatorial debate before the election, Democrat Jermaine Johnson and Republican Alan Wilson split on Medicaid expansion, gambling, and data centers while agreeing abortion restrictions should not go further. Johnson called expanding Medicaid eligibility to all adults up to 138% of the federal poverty level a necessity, citing his mother's diabetes-related leg amputation and high amputation rates in a north Columbia ZIP code. South Carolina is one of 10 states that has not expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. Wilson did not join Johnson's call for expansion, continuing the state's divide over coverage for low-income adults ahead of the election.
Why it mattersThe election outcome could determine whether South Carolina joins the Medicaid expansion states, directly affecting coverage eligibility for low-income adults and future state budget and managed care enrollment planning.