Republicans in the legislature have dealt another blow to hopes that Missouri will become part of the Medicaid Expansion program under the federal healthcare overhaul law.
The Senate appropriations committee has voted along party lines to kill an expansion proposal.
Committee Chairman Kurt Schaefer maintains the state is going to have to pump hundreds of millions of dollars into the program sooner or later—and other state programs might have to suffer.
One of the “yes” votes came from Kansas City Senator Kiki Curls, who says the program is worthwhile even if it only lasts three years.
The Obama administration has promised the states that the first three years of the program will be entirely funded by the federal government and the most the state will ever contribute will be ten percent of the costs.
Senator Paul LeVota of Independence had sponsored the bill before Schaefer’s committee.
The committee vote means the bill will not be allowed to reach the full senate for debate.
A committee in the House killed a Medicaid expansion bill earlier.