Senate Budget Committee Declines to Fund Medicaid Expansion

Late Wednesday evening, the Senate Appropriations Committee voted not to put funding for Medicaid expansion back in the FY '22 budget after the House failed to follow Governor Parson's recommendation to do so. Committee Chair Sen. Dan Hegeman (R-Crosby) stated at the beginning of the hearing that he was going to recommend following the House's position on expansion of the program. Committee Co-Chair Sen. Lincoln Hough (R-Springfield) then offered an amendment that would add half of the amount of state revenue ($60 million) needed to fund expansion of the program as a compromise position. 

Committee members each had an opportunity to speak about their respective positions on funding expansion of the Medicaid program that voters approved in August 2020. The committee then voted 7-7 on Sen. Hough's amendment, causing the amendment to fail. Further debate on expanding Medicaid is expected next week on the Senate floor, although the outcome is not expected to change. If the General Assembly does not include Medicaid expansion in the budget, it is possible that Governor Parson could push forward with implementing the expansion, or the matter could be decided by the courts.