An interim committee of the Missouri Senate has adopted a draft report with recommendations on reforming the state’s Medicaid system, but the report specifically leaves out the possibility of Medicaid expansion.
The Republican chair of the committee, Gary Romine of Farmington, says Medicaid must be reformed before any expansion can be considered. Democrats balked at that position, but then said they’d back the committee’s report if they could add language reflecting that the majority of public testimony collected called for expanding Medicaid.
“This is the day to show Missourians that we can come together and we can agree, and we can agree without being disagreeable,” said Democrat Jamilah Nasheed of St. Louis.
But the GOP-heavy committee voted against adding the language. The main recommendation they did approve is to move more low-income working families into managed care systems.
