The 2018 Midterm Election is here, and we’ve got the live coverage of the major ballot issues and races that could affect you as a travel healthcare professional.

Below, you can find the list of the ballot issues we plan to track as the votes are counted. Click on any of the links to jump directly to that section of the page for more information. We will update this page with links to news stories once the final vote totals are confirmed.

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• California Proposition 4, Children’s Hospital Bonds Initiative PASSED
• Idaho Proposition 2, Medicaid Expansion Initiative PASSED
• Massachusetts Question 1, Nurse-Patient Assignment Limits Initiative DIDN’T PASS

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• Montana I-185, Extend Medicaid Expansion and Increase Tobacco Taxes DIDN’T PASS
• Nebraska Initiative 427, Medicaid Expansion Initiative PASSED
• Utah Proposition 3, Medicaid Expansion Initiative PASSED

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Follow us on Twitter @HCTToday for updates in real-time, or stay tuned in to this page to our curated Twitter feed that will have final vote tallies and news coverage.

A Twitter List by HCTToday

California Prop. 4, Children’s Hospital Bonds Initiative

Brief Summary

Proposition 4, also known as the Children’s Hospital Bond Act Fund, would authorize $1.5 billion in bonds that would be used to award grants to children’s hospitals for construction, expansion, renovation, and equipment projects. With interest over 35 years, the bond’s total cost would be $2.9 billion.

Vote Total

• Yes Votes: 2,776,013 (58.8%) WINNER
• No Votes: 1,942,590 (42.2%)
• Precincts Reporting: 12,078 of 24,312 precincts partially
  reporting as of November 7, 2018, 12:05 a.m

News Stories

• “2018 Election: Healthcare Issues Travelers Should Watch” (Healthcare Traveler Today)
• “Election 2018: California to decide on 11 propositions on crowded ballot” (Palm Springs Desert Sun)
• Proposition 4 Could Boost Funding For California Children’s Hospitals (Capital Public Radio)

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Idaho Prop. 2, Medicaid Expansion Initiative

Brief Summary

Approval of Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act would allow Idaho residents under 65 and earning incomes at 138 percent of the national poverty level to apply for Medicaid insurance. About 62,000 Idahoans would qualify for this coverage.

Vote Total

• Yes Votes: 296,828 (61.6%) WINNER
• No Votes: 184,735 (38.4%)
• Precincts Reporting: With 728 of 959 precincts reporting as of November 7, 2018, at 1:11 a.m.

News Stories

• “2018 Election: Healthcare Issues Travelers Should Watch” (Healthcare Traveler Today)
• “A look at Medicaid expansion and Proposition 2” (East Idaho News)
• “VERIFY: What happens if the propositions pass?” (7KTBV)
• “A procrastinator’s guide to Idaho’s general election” (Idaho Statesman)

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Massachusetts Q1, Nurse-Patient Assignment Limits Initiative 

Question 1: Massachusetts Nurse-To-Patient Ratio Ballot Initiative Defeated–Read Full Story

Brief Summary

Approval of Question 1 in Massachusetts would establish a set nurse-to-patient ratio across all state hospitals, except during a public health emergency.

Vote Total

• Yes Votes: 373,412 (30%)
• No Votes: 871,170 (70%) WINNER
• Precincts Reporting: 48% reporting (1,036 of 2,173 precincts)

News Stories

• “2018 Election: Healthcare Issues Travelers Should Watch” (Healthcare Traveler Today)
• “Massachusetts Voters Split On Mandated Nurse Staffing”  (Healthcare Traveler Today)
• “What independent experts are saying about Question 1” (Boston.com)
• “Voters get their say on nurses, campaign spending, trans rights” (Boston Herald)

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Montana I-185, Extend Medicaid Expansion and Increase Tobacco Taxes

Brief Summary

If approved, Montana will extend expanded eligibility for Medicaid coverage and raise taxes on tobacco products to fund Medicaid programs and other healthcare-related programs.

Vote Total

• Yes Votes: 176,855 (45%)
• No Votes: 21,2,624 (55%) WINNER
• Precincts Reporting: 80% reporting as of 8:15 a.m. CT, Nov. 7, 2018

News Stories

• “Tobacco Tax Battle Could Torch Montana Medicaid Expansion” (Healthcare Traveler Today via Kaiser Health News)
• “Big Tobacco Spends Big To Block A Tax And Medicaid Expansion In Montana” (NPR)
• “I-185 supporters: Benefits of Medicaid expansion far outweigh the cost” (KPAX 8)

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Nebraska Initiative 427, Medicaid Expansion

Nebraska Voters Approve Medicaid Expansion Ballot Initiative–Read Full Story

Brief Summary

Approval of Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act would allow Nebraska residents under 65 and earning incomes at 138 percent of the national poverty level to apply for Medicaid insurance. About 90,000 Nebraskans would qualify for this coverage.

Vote Total

• Yes Votes: 337,526 (53.2%) WINNER
• No Votes: 297,317 (46.8%)
• Precincts Reporting: 97% reporting (1,351 of 1,389 precincts)

News Stories

• “2018 Election: Healthcare Issues Travelers Should Watch” (Healthcare Traveler Today)
• “Medicaid Expansion Has Momentum Ahead Of Tuesday’s Midterm Elections” (Forbes)
• “Nebraska voters decide Medicaid expansion, race for governor” (The State)
• “Warren Buffett, Walter Scott give big dollars to push Medicaid expansion in Nebraska” (Live Well Nebraska)

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Utah Proposition 3, Medicaid Expansion Initiative

Brief Summary

Approval of Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act would allow Utah residents under 65 and earning incomes at 138 percent of the national poverty level to apply for Medicaid insurance. About 150,000 Nebraskans would qualify for this coverage.

Vote Total

• Yes Votes: 404,166 (54.1%) WINNER
• No Votes: 343,229 (45.9%)
• Precincts Reporting: 1,870 of 2,492 precincts reporting as of 2:20 a.m. CT, November 7, 2018

News Stories

• “2018 Election: Healthcare Issues Travelers Should Watch” (Healthcare Traveler Today)
• “Poll shows Utah voters are behind Prop 3, expanding Medicaid, which state lawmakers oppose” (The Salt Lake Tribune)
• “If Medicaid expansion ballot initiative passes, lawmaker threatens to repeal it” (Fox 13 Salt Lake City)

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