Lawmakers debate expanding health coverage
The News Leader
May 7, 2009
JEFFERSON CITY — The Missouri House of Representatives is debating compromise budget bills agreed to by a conference committee of senators and representatives.
So far, the House has approved conference committee versions of House Bills 1-8, which appropriate money for education, state employee benefits and the departments of revenue, transportation, administration, agriculture, natural resources, conservation, economic development, insurance, labor and industrial relations and pubic safety.
House members are now debating $14 million lawmakers have made to Gov. Jay Nixon's recommended $618 million for the Department of Corrections.
The real battle will be on House Bill 11, the social services budget.
Many House Republicans oppose the Senate's decision to adopt Nixon's plan to expand Medicaid health care coverage to 35,000 low-income adults.
The expansion would cost the state nothing because Missouri hospitals have agreed to accept a higher tax in order to fund an increase in Medicaid eligibility from 20 percent of the federal poverty level to 50 percent.
Lawmakers say a number of scenarios could play out:
-- The Republican-controlled House passes House Bill 11, granting the Democratic governor a major political and legislative victory.
-- The House votes down House Bill 11 and the bill gets sent back to a conference committee, where Senate budget negotiators agree to remove the Medicaid expansion to avoid missing the 6 p.m. Friday constitutional deadline to balance the budget and avoid a special session.
-- The House votes down House Bill 11 and the bill gets sent back to a conference committee, where the Senate negotiators refuse to recede from their position, forcing Nixon to call a special session on the issue of health care.
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