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Mo. House Democrats File Medicaid Expansion Bill

House Democrats are sponsoring legislation to expand Medicaid in Missouri, despite the fact that the state budget filed by Republicans leaves out the proposed expansion.

House Bill 627 would expand Medicaid to an additional 300,000 Missourians, and House Democrats say not passing it would cost the state 5,000 jobs and could force some rural hospitals to close their doors.  Kerry Noble is CEO of Pemiscot Memorial Health Systemsin the Missouri Boot-heal.

“Fourteen percent of our utilization is in uncompensated care," Noble told reporters at a press conference at the State Capitol.  "We cannot continue to subsidize this long-term.”

The bill is sponsored by House Minority Floor Leader Jacob Hummel(D, St. Louis).  He says he's willing to work with Republicans to craft some sort of compromise that would allow for Medicaid expansion.

"If we do not pass this, some of our larger hospitals will still be able to carry on, but it’s our rural hospitals that are going to close," Hummel said.  "It is our rural hospitals that’ll be hurt the most, and it is something that we simply cannot do.”

House Speaker Tim Jones (R, Eureka), meanwhile, took issue with the Democrats' comments at their press conference.

“I think it’s a little Polly-anish, I think it’s a little (of an) overreach, I think there are some scare tactics involved there," Jones said.

House Republicans are working on an alternate proposal they say will transform Medicaid without expanding it in Missouri.  One of the sponsors, State Representative Jay Barnes (R, Jefferson City), says details could be unveiled as early as next week.

Follow Marshall Griffin on Twitter:  @MarshallGReport

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Missouri Public Radio State House Reporter Marshall Griffin is a proud alumnus of the University of Mississippi (a.k.a., Ole Miss), and has been in radio for over 20 years, starting out as a deejay. His big break in news came when the first President Bush ordered the invasion of Panama in 1989. Marshall was working the graveyard shift at a rock station, and began ripping news bulletins off the old AP teletype and reading updates between songs. From there on, his radio career turned toward news reporting and anchoring. In 1999, he became the capital bureau chief for Florida's Radio Networks, and in 2003 he became News Director at WFSU-FM/Florida Public Radio. During his time in Tallahassee he covered seven legislative sessions, Governor Jeb Bush's administration, four hurricanes, the Terri Schiavo saga, and the 2000 presidential recount. Before coming to Missouri, he enjoyed a brief stint in the Blue Ridge Mountains, reporting and anchoring for WWNC-AM in Asheville, North Carolina. Marshall lives in Jefferson City with his wife, Julie, their dogs, Max and Mason, and their cat, Honey.
Marshall Griffin
St. Louis Public Radio State House Reporter Marshall Griffin is a native of Mississippi and proud alumnus of Ole Miss (welcome to the SEC, Mizzou!). He has been in radio for over 20 years, starting out as a deejay. His big break in news came when the first President Bush ordered the invasion of Panama in 1989. Marshall was working the graveyard shift at a rock station, and began ripping news bulletins off an old AP teletype and reading updates between songs. From there on, his radio career turned toward news reporting and anchoring. In 1999, he became the capital bureau chief for Florida's Radio Networks, and in 2003 he became News Director at WFSU-FM/Florida Public Radio. During his time in Tallahassee he covered seven legislative sessions, Governor Jeb Bush's administration, four hurricanes, the Terri Schiavo saga, and the 2000 presidential recount. Before coming to Missouri, he enjoyed a brief stint in the Blue Ridge Mountains, reporting and anchoring for WWNC-AM in Asheville, North Carolina. Marshall lives in Jefferson City with his wife, Julie, their dogs, Max and Liberty Belle, and their cat, Honey.