MO Gov Supports Medicaid Expansion
By: Gretchen Bolander
Updated: February 13, 2013
The Missouri governor wants to see hundreds of thousands of residents added to Medicaid. That's the plan Jay Nixon was pushing Wednesday during a stop at Missouri Southern State University.
The Affordable Care Act would initially pay 100 percent of the cost to add the nearly 300,000 patients to the healthcare program. After three years of full funding, the state would start paying a percentage - starting at 5% and growing to 10% in 2020. A study from the University of Missouri estimates that the healthcare expansion would add 24,000 jobs throughout the state.
Gov. Nixon said, "Here in Missouri we must make the smart business decision, the right human decision, bring the tax dollars we send to Washington back here to the Show Me State."
Many Republican lawmakers have opposed the measure, saying they are concerned Washington may not live up to its promises.... and how the state would cover its share of the cost in the future.
