Gov. McMaster still waiting for Medicaid expansion waiver approval

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WSPA) -- A request by state leaders could change Medicaid coverage for thousands of low-income parents across the Palmetto State.

In late June, Governor Henry McMaster asked Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy and the federal government for permission to adjust Medicaid eligibility through the Section 1115 waiver.

“It’s a half step in that direction of helping out some people who need help,” said David Anderson, an Assistant Professor at the Department of Health Services Policy and Management at USC.

For years, many South Carolinians have fallen into what’s called "the coverage gap," meaning they earn too much to qualify for Medicaid, but not enough to afford insurance on the federal marketplace.

In a letter, McMaster expressed optimism about the re