A proposal to expand Medicaid has been defeated by the Senate.

Senators voted along party lines — 23-9 — to kill the measure that would have expanded Medicaid eligibility to about 300,000 low-income adults.
The proposal was offered as an amendment to a managed care bill introduced by Sen. David Sater (R-Cassville). That bill has not yet been voted on.

The amendment was proposed by Sen. Paul LeVota (D-Independence), who says it’s a common-sense approach to improving the state’s health care and economy.

Meanwhile, Gov. Jay Nixon made a stop in Columbia this week to make another push for Medicaid expansion.