WASHINGTON 鈥� As sign-ups begin Thursday for Virginia鈥檚 Medicaid expansion, Gov. Ralph Northam explained in the 草莓传媒 studios how residents can find out whether they鈥檙e eligible, and how to enroll.
In his monthly appearance on 草莓传媒鈥檚 Ask the Governor program, Northam pointed residents to , saying the website also had the phone numbers people need if they have questions.
In his one-hour appearance, Northam also addressed the Pittsburgh shootings, broadband for the rural areas of the commonwealth, the potential Amazon relocation, next week鈥檚 midterm elections and more.
Medicaid expansion
Northam said the expansion of Medicaid, years in the making, would potentially cover 400,000 Virginians. They can sign up starting Thursday for coverage that would begin Jan. 1.
He emphasized that if you鈥檝e been turned down before, the requirements have changed. He added that the state has applied for the waiver that would establish a work or community-engagement requirement and was confident it would be approved.
Asked whether putting that requirement in place will cause chaos, Northam said, 鈥淭here will be some chaos, but I think it鈥檚 something that will be doable.鈥� He added that the requirement was 鈥渁n important part of the negotiations鈥� that made the expansion possible.
Northam also said that: 鈥淭here will be grace periods. 鈥� I don鈥檛 want anybody to be concerned that if they lose their job they鈥檙e going to automatically lose their insurance.鈥�
He then pivoted to his efforts at workforce development, particularly regarding education. 鈥淚 think we need to get away from saying, 鈥榃hat kind of diploma does someone have?鈥� We really need to start asking the question, 鈥榃hat kind of skill does someone have?鈥欌��
鈥淚 want to help everybody get into the workforce,” Northam said. “鈥� I don鈥檛 want to make people feel like they can鈥檛 have access to health care because of the work requirement.鈥�
He emphasized that 鈥淚 am well aware, as a physician, that we need to continue to address the quality of health care, access to health care, but most importantly the cost of health care. 鈥� We have got to as a country, and certainly in Virginia, wrap our arms around the cost.鈥�
鈥漇o much of our resources are being spent on things we can prevent,鈥� such as cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes and more.
Rural broadband
Noting that the unemployment rate statewide is 2.9 percent, Northam added that it鈥檚 much higher in the southwest, the Eastern Shore and other areas. 鈥淲e need to help rural Virginia,鈥� the governor added, saying that broadband internet access was a critical component of job creation in those areas.
鈥淭here is no way in 2018 that a business can grow or a business can start鈥� without broadband, Northam said, adding that it affects education too.
Calling himself 鈥渘ot a patient person,鈥� Northam said he has two people in his administration working full-time on the project, and that a relationship between the private and public sectors would be necessary.
鈥淸It鈥檚] all hands on deck, and it is a top priority of mine,鈥� he said.
Northam added that the official goal is for the entire commonwealth to have broadband within 10 years 鈥� 鈥渂ut I want it to happen a lot sooner than that.鈥�
What are the incentives to lay down more cable?
鈥淒ifferent challenges for different regions.鈥� Flat terrain vs. mountains, for example.
鈥淚t鈥檚 expensive. 鈥� That鈥檚 what we鈥檙e looking at now.鈥�
Northam termed the problem 鈥渆xpensive,鈥� and said that one possible solution to the cost problem could come from an internet sales tax, which states have recently been empowered to impose.
A measure will likely be passed by the General Assembly over the winter, and Northam estimated that it could bring $90 million to the state鈥檚 coffers. 鈥淲hat a great way to responsibly invest that,鈥� Northam said.
After his appearance, Northam told 草莓传媒鈥檚 Max Smith that, while previous discussions of a possible internet sales tax have centered around using the money for transportation, the idea of putting it toward expanded broadband was 鈥渃ertainly on the table for discussion,鈥� and ultimately up to the legislature, who would have to pass any such tax first.
Amazon
The New York Times recently reported that Crystal City was the front-runner among 20 finalists for the second headquarters of online retail giant Amazon. Northam wouldn鈥檛 say whether that was the case, telling 草莓传媒: 鈥淚 think we鈥檙e in a good position. 鈥� There鈥檚 a lot of speculation out there.鈥�
He did say 鈥渁 lot of resources are being expended right now, and I think for good reason.鈥� Northam called the effort 鈥減robably a 24/7 project鈥� and that win or lose, he wants to be able to say 鈥渨e did everything we can.鈥�
The governor added that he was 鈥渢remendously impressed鈥� by the communication he鈥檇 had with Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan and D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser in the efforts to lure Amazon to the region, as well as the cooperation he鈥檇 had in the General Assembly: 鈥淲e have had support from both sides of the aisle on this,鈥� said Northam, adding that both parties in Richmond 鈥渉ave come together鈥� to put a 鈥済reat package on the table.鈥�
In the end, he said, 鈥淎 lot of us are anxiously awaiting a decision.鈥�
Metro
Northam also reacted to the news that Metro鈥檚 budget proposal, which will be presented Thursday,聽 would include expanded rush-hour service and cheaper unlimited passes 鈥� along with a request for another $87 million from the governments of the District, Maryland and Virginia.
鈥淚 think we do have the funding that we need,鈥� Northam said of Virginia鈥檚 previously passed $154 million in dedicated funding for Metro.
He said 草莓传媒鈥檚 Mark Lewis was 鈥渁bsolutely correct鈥� that Metro should work within the existing dedicated funding, without dramatic increases in public financing.
Pittsburgh
Northam attended a service at a D.C. synagogue alongside Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan and D.C Mayor Muriel Bowser just days after the shootings at a Pittsburgh synagogue that claimed 11 lives. 鈥淚 was glad to be at the synagogue and worship, and just grieve,鈥� he said.
He pivoted to the hatred and violence that have dominated the news of the past couple of weeks, and said responsibility starts at the top.
鈥淲e need to understand as leaders that when we speak our words can be powerful.,鈥� the governor said. 鈥溾�� We on both sides of the aisle need to take a different approach and promote civility.鈥�
鈥淲e need leaders that will embrace and promote inclusiveness,鈥� Northam said. 鈥淥ur society is diverse and becoming more diverse every day,鈥� he added: 鈥淔ear-mongering 鈥� is not what this country needs right now.鈥�
He added, 鈥淲e need to take a step back and look at civility. We need to ask ourselves where the hatred is coming from. .. As a pediatrician, I take care of babies and young children, and you don鈥檛 see that hatred in them. You see love and hope.鈥�
Northam called the shootings further evidence of what he called a 鈥減roliferation of guns in this country.鈥� He noted that bills were introduced in the General Assembly to ban bump stocks and set up universal background checks 鈥淓very one of those pieces of legislation was defeated without any discussion鈥� on the first day of the session, Northam said.
He pointed to next week鈥檚 elections as a chance to force change: 鈥淲hen you can鈥檛 change people鈥檚 minds, sometimes you need to change the seats.鈥�
The election
Northam said on the air that he was optimistic about his Democratic Party鈥檚 prospects in next week鈥檚 elections, saying after his appearance that 鈥渁s many as four鈥� U.S. House seats in Virginia could flip from the Republicans to the Democrats.
鈥淚 think we鈥檙e looking for a good day,鈥� Northam said, adding that voters are 鈥渘ot going to continue to condone what鈥檚 going on in Washington.鈥� Referring to recent Republican ads terming the caravan of migrants an estimated 900 miles from the U.S. border an 鈥渋nvasion,鈥� Northam said, 鈥淭o talk about an invasion 鈥� well, that鈥檚 not an invasion; it鈥檚 people looking for a better life.鈥�
After what he called a 2016 election dominated by 鈥渂igotry and hatred and discrimination and misinformation,鈥� Northam said 鈥渨e saw so much energy and enthusiasm鈥� in last year鈥檚 Assembly elections, and he saw the same kind of enthusiasm so far this year, in which a large number of absentee ballots have already been cast. 鈥淚 think the Blue Wave is gonna continue.鈥�
Halloween
Northam said he would dress as a Virginia governor from 1813, when the governor鈥檚 mansion was built. He added that his wife, Pamela Northam, and their dog, Murphy, would dress in period garb as well.
草莓传媒’s Max Smith contributed to this report.
