Minority report: Health care too important not to expand Medicaid

(From Sen. Joseph Keaveny, D-St. Louis)

A report based off of the actions of the Senate Interim Committee on Medicaid Transformation and Reform has been issued by three minority party members of the committee: Sen. Joseph Keaveny, D-St. Louis; Sen. Paul LeVota, D-Independence; and Sen. Jamilah Nasheed, D-St. Louis.

The report details the failure of the committee “failed to recognize the testimony and ignored those who testified” regarding Medicaid expansion in the state.

“When minority members requested the committee report contain information
regarding Medicaid expansion they were told such a subject was ‘not under the
purview of the committee’s responsibility’ despite the fact that 52.4 percent of the
committee testimony related to Medicaid expansion,” the report reads.

This report calls for expansion of Medicaid to those with incomes up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level and also suggests a “hybrid approach based on the ‘premium assistance’ model be adopted if traditional Medicaid is not politically feasible.”

“I am disappointed that this minority report had to be issued at all,” Sen. Keaveny said. “Health care is too important an issue for Missourians for us not to consider expansion.”

To read the reports issued by the minority party members of the Senate Interim Committee on Medicaid Transformation and Reform, click here or visithttp://www.senate.mo.gov/media/13info/Keaveny/releases/
MedicaidInterimCommitteeMinorityReport-Final.pdf.