House Panel Passes Republican Medicaid Expansion Bill

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Intro:	Gov. Jay Nixon says the six weeks left in the legislative session leaves him plenty of time to work with the General Assembly on Medicaid expansion.
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Wrap: The governor chose a fairy tale to serve as his metaphor to describe the progress of Medicaid expansion in the General Assembly.

A House committee passed a bill to expand the program for Missourians with incomes below 100 percent of the federal poverty level.

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Description: "Under the three bears analysis the porridge is a little warmer. You know, but we got work to do."

The Republican led legislature has shot down a full Medicaid expansion several times, but the Democratic governor says the bill may be the next best thing he can use to gain support for an expansion.

St. Charles Republican Mark Parkinson voted no because an expansion is implementation of Obamacare.

Reporting from the state capitol, I'm Nick Thompson.

Intro:	A Missouri Republican's Medicaid expansion proposal has passed a House committee, but it would also reduce the number of enrollees from one age group.
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Wrap: Representative Jay Barnes bill would expand the Medicaid program for adults, but it does not cover as many Missourians as called for by the Obama administration and it removes thousands of children from the program.

Barnes says more parents will have private health insurance because of the exchanges, which means the state won't need to cover as many children.

Republican Todd Richardson says the private sector can do a better job of taking care of Missourians.

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Description: "To me the idea of trying to put 300,000 more Missourians into a broke and broken entitlement system is wrong."

Democratic Governor Jay Nixon supports Barnes legislation, but he says he will not support removing children from the program.

Reporting from the state capitol, I'm Nick Thompson.

Intro:	A House committee has passed a bill to expand Missouri's Medicaid rolls, but it's not the full expansion Gov. Jay Nixon has traveled around the state to promote.
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Wrap: Farmington Republican Todd Richardson says a Medicaid expansion bill to cover adults with incomes up to 100 percent of the federal poverty level is a Missouri solution to a problem Washington created.

But, Democratic Representative Kevin McManus says if it's not a full expansion up to 138 percent, it won't get the Obama administration's approval.

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Description: "I don't think this bill as written, will be implemented."

St. Louis County Democrat Gina Mitten says she sees problems in the legislation, but she says she voted yes because it is the best remaining vehicle that can carry the expansion.

The bill would allow private insurers to compete to cover the state's Medicaid enrollees.

Reporting from the state capitol, I'm Nick Thompson.

Intro:	A Republican Missouri House member is ready to call Washington's bluff if it means Missouri will be able to call the shots on Medicaid expansion.
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Wrap: Republican Jay Barnes won approval for his bill to expand Medicaid and make private insurers compete to cover new enrollees in a House committee.

But, the legislation expands eligibility for adults with incomes up to 100 percent of the federal poverty level, not 138 percent as mandated by the Obama administration.

Democrat Kevin McManus says the state needs to go all the way to get the federal dollars back to Missouri.

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Description: "We need to raise the eligibility standard in order to get those matching funds and this bill is contingent by its terms on getting those waivers necessary."

Barnes says the Obama administration should show some flexibility and approve what he calls a market-based solution that will work for Missouri.

Reporting from the state capitol, I'm Nick Thompson.

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