State Withdraws Plans to Expand Medicaid

Governor Mike Parson announced Thursday morning that the state would withdraw plans to expand Medicaid. This announcement came after the legislature’s decision not to fund the expansion, which would have added Medicaid eligibility to about a quarter-million Missourians. Governor Parson initially planned to fund it despite his personal opposition but said the legislature’s move means that isn’t possible. In August, voters approved a state constitutional amendment expanding eligibility in Missouri’s Medicaid program, MO Health Net. Representative Peter Merideth said he was furious about Parson’s decision.

In 2020, the Missouri Court of Appeals Western District issued an opinion stating that the MO HealthNet expansion ballot initiative did not create a revenue source or direct the General Assembly to appropriate funds. The court noted that the General Assembly retained discretionary authority to fund or not fund MO HealthNet expansion if the ballot initiative passed.