House opens budget debate with Medicaid fireworks

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Intro:	The battle over the state's budget is heating up in the state Capitol. Lawmakers there are trying to figure out whether to increase state health care spending
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OutCue:	SOC

Wrap: Democrats have been pushing to expand the state's Medicaid program as part of the federal health care overhaul.

But the Republican-controlled House has now voted twice to block the expansion. Representative Todd Richardson, of Poplar Bluff, says the state's health care costs would skyrocket if it made its Medicaid program bigger.

Actuality:	RICHMED.WAV
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Description: "We didn't create this problem, Mr. Speaker. This is a problem that was created for us by a centrally-planned health care system that isn't the right solution for Missouri."

House Speaker Tim Jones has said that he wants to send the budget to the Senate by the end of this week.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Wes Duplantier. Newsradio 1120. KMOX.

Intro:	The battle over the state's budget is heating up in the state Capitol. Lawmakers there are trying to figure out whether to increase state health care spending
RunTime:	0:35
OutCue:	SOC

Wrap:

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Description: [YELLING]

That's what the the state House sounds like this week as lawmakers debate a controversial expansion of the state's Medicaid program. Democrats have been forcefully pushing the expansion as Republicans have voted the idea down multiple times, questioning it's cost.

The House has given first-round approval to its version of the budget. House Speaker Tim Jones has said that he wants to send the budget to the Senate by the end of this week.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Wes Duplantier. Newsradio 1120. KMOX.

Intro:	The battle over the state's budget is heating up in the state Capitol. Lawmakers there are trying to figure out whether to increase state health care spending
RunTime:	0:44
OutCue:	SOC

Wrap: Democrats have been pushing to expand the state's Medicaid program as part of the federal health care overhaul.

But the state budget proposal now moving through Missouri's stateHouse leaves that expansion out. Republicans say state health care costs could skyrocket if Missouri makes its program bigger.

Jefferson County Democrat Jeff Roorda says the federal government will pay the costs of the expansion for three years.

Actuality:	ROORDA1.WAV
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Description: "We seemed to have misplaced $940 million or so that ought to be in the budget. We've turned our back on our own money that we've sent up to the federal government."

The Republicans say they want to send their budget to the Senate by the end of this week.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Wes Duplantier. Newsradio 1120. KMOX.

Intro:	The battle over the state's budget is heating up in the state Capitol. Lawmakers there are trying to figure out whether to increase state health care spending
RunTime:	0:40
OutCue:	SOC

Wrap: Democrats have been pushing to expand the state's Medicaid program as part of the federal health care overhaul. But Republicans have voted the idea down several times--and left it out of the budget proposal in the state House.

Jefferson County Democrat Jeff Roorda says not doing the expansion could make it harder for people to pay for health care and could hurt the state's economy.

Actuality:	ROORDA2.WAV
Run Time:	00:07
Description: "And we shouldn't be leaving rural hospitals out in the cold. We shouldn't be leaving our economy out in the cold."

House Speaker Tim Jones has said that he wants to send the budget to the Senate by the end of this week.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Wes Duplantier. Newsradio 1120. KMOX.

Intro:	The battle over the state's budget is heating up in the state Capitol. Lawmakers there are trying to figure out whether to increase state health care spending
RunTime:	0:42
OutCue:	SOC

Wrap: Democrats have been pushing to expand the state's Medicaid program as part of the federal health care overhaul passed in 2009.

But the Republican-controlled House has voted repeatedly to block the expansion. Representative Caleb Rowden, of Columbia, says the state's health care costs would skyrocket, forcing it to cut into important programs like education.

Actuality:	ROWMED.WAV
Run Time:	00:11
Description: "The flip side of that would be which schools are we going to shut down because we're giving $100 million or $200 million out of the schools budget to expand a blatantly flawed system."

House Speaker Tim Jones has said that he wants to send the budget to the Senate by the end of this week.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Wes Duplantier. Newsradio 1120. KMOX.