Baton Rouge, La (NBC33) — The chair of the Louisiana Democratic Party spoke to a packed Press Club about Medicaid expansion in Baton Rouge today.

Senator Karen Carter Peterson told folks today the governor's decision to refuse Medicaid expansion is a step in the wrong direction.

She says if Governor Jindal doesn't allow the expansion, the state could lose federal money and hundreds of thousands might not get the health care they need.

“When you're closing hospitals, when you're reducing care for foster care children, when you are eliminating payments almost 75 percent of those significant levels of cuts, you can't argue that there’s going to be no chance in care for the poor and the indigent,” said Peterson. “That is what Medicaid is all about.”

Earlier this month on Meet The Press here on NBC33, Governor Jindal said he would refuse the expansion; he stated it's not something that's needed in Louisiana.