Expanding Medicaid, which Missouri residents voted in favor of in Tuesday's primary election, could cost the state $200 million.
Proponents of the expansion suggest it will save the state money by increasing the reimbursement amount the state receives from the federal government.
TENS OF THOUSANDSMORE MISSOURIANS WILLNOW HAVE ACCESS TOHEALTHCARE.IT COMES AFTER VOTERSAPPROVED MEDICAIDEXPANSION IN THE STATE.MEDICAID EXPANSIONMEANS ADULTS WHO EARNUP TO 133-PERCENT OFTHE FEDERAL POVERTYLEVEL - WILL QUALIFY FORCOVERAGE..THE EARLIEST IT COULDGO INTO EFFECT IS NEXTJULY.AND BEFORE THATHAPPENS - IT'S UP TO THESTATE TO FIGURE OUTHOW ITS GOING TO PAYFOR EXPANSION.I-TEAM REPORTERJESSICA MCMASTER TAKESA LOOK AT THE NUMBERS.Jessica McMasterMEDICAID EXPANSION IS ADONE DEAL---THOSE INFAVOR OF IT SAY THESTATE WILL SAVE MONEYTHROUGH ADDITIONALREIMBURSEMENTS ITRECEIVES FROM THEFEDERAL GOVERNMENT.PROPONENTSARGUE--TAXPAYERS ALSOpay FEDERAL TAXES---ANDTHE COSTS OWED BY THESTATE WILL BE AT LEAST200 MILLION DOLLARS.CURRENTLY, MISSOURIGETS A 65 PERCENTRETURN ON THE COSTS OFMEDICAID -- THEREIMBURSEMENT WOULDINCREASE FOR NEWLYENROLLED PARTICIPANTSTO 90 PERCENT.HEALTH CARE FORMISSOURI -- COMPRISEDOF 250 GROUPS IN FAVOROF THE EXPANSION -- argueTHE ADDITIONAL FEDERALREIMBURSEMENT COULDBRING IN AN EXTRA 1BILLION DOLLARSANNUALLY FOR MISSOURI.Garrett GRIFFIN, CommunicationsDirector, Communities CreatingOpportunities"It expands the eligibilitallowing more than 200-thousand individuals still low-income to get on the programwhich will help with everythingfrom medicine, treatmentsurgery, everything peopleneed to live and live a healthylife."critics SAY, NOT SO FAST.Ryan Johnson, Senior Advisor,United for Missouri"There's no such thing as freemoney from the feds.
We're anation that's 26 trilliondollarsin debt."SENIOR ADVISOR FORUNITED FOR MISSOURIRyan JohnsonSAYS---MAKING MONEY OFFADDING PARTICIPANTS TOA TAXPAYER FUNDEDPROGRAM-ISN'T POSSIBLE.THE 90 PERCENT FEDERALREIMBURSEMENT IS ONLYFOR NEW ENROLEES,WHICH MEANSMISSOURIANS WILL PAYTHAT ADDITIONAL 10PERCENT.Ryan Johnson, Senior Advisor,United for MissourThe auditor's fiscal note saysit will cost in excess of 200million dollarsA REPORT FROM HEALTHMANAGEMENTASSOCIATION SUGGESTSOTHER STATES HAVEOFFSET THAT TENPERCENT THROUGHMATCHING PROGRAMINITIATIVES.AN OPTION NOW ON THETABLE FOR MISSOURI.Jessica McMasterIF MISSOURI DOES END UPON THE HOOK FOR THATADDITIONAL TEN PERCENT,IT'S NOT CLEAR WHERETHIS ESTIMATED 200MILLION DOLLARS WILLCOME FROM IN THEBUDGET.
IN ADDITION,JOHNSON SAYS IF THEFEDERAL GOVERNMENTDECIDES IT WILL NOLONGER PROVIDEREIMBUREMENTS TOSTATES, MISSOURI WOULDBE ON THE HOOK FOR THETOTAL COST OF 2 MILLIONDOLLARS.
I'MINVESTIGATOR JESSICAMCMASTER 41 ACTIONNEWS.ONE DAY AFTER THEPRIMARY -- MEDICAIDEXPANSION TOOK CENTERSTAGE IN THE RACE FORGOVERNOR IN MISSOURI.DEMOCRAT NICOLEGALLOWAY DISCUSSED ITDURING A VISIT TO KANSASCITY THIS MORNING.NICOLE GALLOWAY/MISSOURIGUBERNATORIALCANDIDATE"we can expand healthcarewithoutraising taxes or cutting fundingtoother programs. as governor,thatexactly what i'll do."'we're going to be bringing twobilliondollars into our economy toinvest inour economy and our healthcajobs, keeping rural hospitalsopenand providing access tohealthcarefor nearly a quarter millionworkingpeople."GALLOWAY SAID SHEBELIEVES GOVERNORPARSON WILL TRY TOUNDERMINE THE WILL OFTHE VOTERS.TODAY - THE GOVERNORSAID THE STATE WILL FINDTHE MONEY TO COMPLYWITH THE ELECTIONRESULTS AND MAKEMEDICAID EXPANSIONHAPPEN.GOV.
MIKE PARSON //MISSOURI"Yeah, well you know the peoplethatsay this Missouri voted that itsowe're going to have to deal withitand implement it.""the big thing is where do youfind afunding for it right now you'reprobably looking at 200 millionorsomething like that, off the batso wegot to figure out what thatfunding isgoing to come from.
So, youknow,hopefully, economy gets better,hopefully things we can meetthatfinancial obligation littleeasier."
