Republicans again targeting health insurance for low-income Missourians [St. Louis Post-Dispatch]
Mar. 23—JEFFERSON CITY — A
The proposed constitutional amendment, which advanced out of the House last month on a 96-41 vote, would ask voters in November to reverse their 2020 decision to permanently expand the government-funded health insurance program.
The debate in the
And, signaling a potential roadblock, not all
Sen.
"In my opinion, this ground has already been plowed," Hough said.
Groups that backed the 2020 expansion called the effort "an attempt to turn back the clock."
"Now is not the time to reset the program. It's time to focus on the state's enrollment efforts and managing the program to create value for enrollees and all Missourians.
No one testified in favor of the proposal during the public comment period of the hearing.
After years of blocking expansion, health care groups went around the Legislature and asked voters directly if they wanted
The measure was approved with 53% of the vote and, after court fights and additional legislative jousting, the expansion of the state's MO HealthNet program went into effect in October.
The ballot question, if it wins approval in both the
It also would require the
The work provision would require adults age 18-64 to work or participate in community service programs for 80 hours per month. There would be exemptions for mothers with young children.
And the proposal would end a practice of paying health care costs of people from out of state who are treated in
"You must be a
Smith said the in-state rule would save the state an estimated
Smith argued the proposed constitutional change wouldn't necessarily cut all expansion costs. Rather, he said, it would allow lawmakers more flexibility to manage Medicaid spending.
Prior attempts to institute work requirements have failed and efforts by
In
The work requirement also would have to win approval from President
Sen.
"We're not trying to make a medically fragile person work," Hoskins said.
"We need to take care of the people of
"Sometimes voters are smarter than the people they elect," said Sen.
The proposed constitutional amendment is House Joint Resolution 117.
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