Governor Jay Nixon has reiterated his support for expanding Medicaid in Missouri under the ACA to provide health care to an estimated 300,000 Missouri citizens. He has announced his intention to submit a budget for the next fiscal year to the legislature to do just that. Missouri House Speaker Tim Jones fired back pretty quickly with the observation that "My first question to the Governor is this — where is the money to pay for ths once the federal aid goes away?" Speaker Jones further urged the prioritization of job creation over "expanding welfare."
This sums it up pretty well, actually, these dueling press statements. Is it better to take 100% federally funded Medicaid expansion from 2014-2016, increasing to 10% state funded Medicaid expansion by 2020 or to sit back and watch and wait? Speaker Jones' concern that the rich federal expanded Medicaid matching percentage may wither quickly after 2020 — paradoxically — would seem to militate just as much in favor of grabbing that time limited offer now as it would support passing on it.
Missouri State of Mind 