Senate Interim Committee Holds Final Medicaid Hearing

This week, the Senate Interim Committee on Medicaid Accountability and Taxpayer Protection held its final meeting on improvements to Missouri’s Medicaid program, MO HealthNet. Witnesses discussed potential improvements to the program, including needed updates to the MO HealthNet Division’s data systems. Director Todd Richardson said that one of the division’s priorities was to create a data warehouse to improve collaboration between the state and health providers.

The committee also heard testimony on expanding postpartum care in Medicaid to a full year. Last year a bill was signed into law that included language, supported by the MCC, expanding postpartum depression coverage for new mothers from six weeks to 12 months, subject to appropriation. Witnesses, including pro-life lobbyist Sam Lee, urged the committee to appropriate money for the coverage extension, stating that it could be done through federal funds from the American Rescue Plan Act. The final committee report will be presented to the General Assembly at the start of the next session.