Richmond, Va. — Today Virginia’s Senate voted to expand Medicaid. Virginia Organizing leaders and supporters celebrated the decision as a great victory for the people of the Commonwealth.

“Virginia Organizing members have worked to bring affordable health care to all Virginians for more than 10 years,” said Virginia Organizing Chairperson Del McWhorter.

“Medicaid expansion will make health care available to hundreds of thousands of Virginians who have been stuck in the coverage gap,” McWhorter continued, “many of them suffering from treatable illnesses. We’re thankful to our supporters and partners for the years of hard work they have contributed. All the letter writing, the rallies, the forums, the thousands of calls to legislators…they finally led to victory for us today.”

“However,” McWhorter added, “our work is not done. Work requirements that have been added to the measure may keep people with disabilities and serious illnesses from getting access to health care. It doesn’t make sense to add an unnecessary new layer of bureaucracy to health care funding. We still want affordable health care for everyone, and we don’t intend to give up until we get it.”