By Marshall Griffin, KWMU
Jefferson City, MO – Governor Jay Nixon is happy with a Missouri Senate bill that would expand health care coverage to about 35,000 low-income residents.
The Show-Me Health Coverage bill is sponsored by State Senator Tom Dempsey (R, St. Charles). It would expand coverage from 20 to 50 percent of the federal poverty level.
"It's a good initial first step, and I think it adds fuel to the effort to make sure that we get down the number of uninsured in Missouri this year," Nixon said.
A similar plan backed by Nixon was left out of the House version of the state budget last week.
The Senate bill needs another vote before moving over to the Missouri House.
It's expected that budget negotiators from both chambers will decide whether there's enough room for expansion of Medicaid this year.