One last shot at getting Medicaid expansion in this year’s legislative session has ended the way all of them have ended—with a filibuster or a threatened filibuster.

Kansas City Senator Ryan Silvey tried to make it part of a reform of entitlement programs such as Food Stamps and Temporary Assistance for Needy Famiklies.

Silvey’s last proposal would have taken Missouri out of the expansion program if the federal government ever welched on its agreement to pay at least 90 percent of the costs forever.

But Silvey abandoned his bill when St. Joseph Senator Rob Schaaf threatened to lead another filibuster.  Silvey told colleagues another filibuster would eliminate debate time needed by other  senators pushing their own bills in the last two days of the session.  He has withdrawn his bill from debate.

audio: DEBATE pt. 1 27:44

AUDIIO: Debate pt. 2 25:50