No funds for medicaid expansion

It’s now up to the governor. After a late vote yesterday- The Senate joined the House in refusing to fund Medicaid expansion. That’s even though 53% of Missouri voters approved the growth of the social program in the general election in November.   

Republicans’ budget block comes after their governor vowed to make the expansion happen in his State of the State speech this year. The GOP majority argued this would expand the welfare state.   The cost to the state would be $130 million, and the federal government would pay $1.2 billion over the next two years. Governor Parson included both in his budget plan.     

A handful of Republican leaders joined the Democrats in the Senate to try to fund the expansion. Senate Democratic Leader John Rizzo of Independence says this is now an issue for the courts.  The final budget has not been approved- but the Republican super-majority in both chambers has now voted against the funding.