JACKSON – House Democrats made an unsuccessful effort to expand Medicaid Thursday, saying such an expansion would benefit Mississippi’s struggling hospitals, the working poor and the overall economy of the state.

Rep. Robert Johnson, D-Natchez, offered an amendment to the so-called Medicaid technical amendments bill to establish what would be known as accountable care organizations throughout the state, in which health care providers would be able to work together to provide health care to the Medicaid expansion organization.

As Johnson explained his amendment, he never said the phrase “Medicaid expansion,” which has become a lightning rod to many Republicans who oppose the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare.

The Republican majority tabled the amendment (effectively killing it) by a 70-43 margin without its leaders engaging in debate on the issue on the House floor. No Democrat voted against the amendment and no Republican voted for it.