(Danville, Va.) — Gov. Ralph Northam will be in Danville this afternoon to make an economic development announcement at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research.

Following the announcement, Northam will return to Richmond to launch the expansion of Medicaid in Virginia, which was a key component of his campaign.

State lawmakers voted to expand Medicaid earlier this year, joining a majority of other states that have already expanded publicly funded health care to low-income adults. Medicaid expansion is a key part of former President Barack Obama’s signature health care law.

Medicaid expansion starts Thursday in Virginia and About 400,000 newly eligible low-income Virginia adults may now enroll in the program. Medicaid coverage will start at the beginning of 2019.