Nixon favors expanding Medicaid program : Stltoday

Nixon favors expanding Medicaid program : Stltoday

click link

snip

 
“Our hope is that with this report, they will see the economic and health benefits to accepting the new federal health care funding, so that we may avoid leaving the working poor with no options,” coalition Chair Joe Pierle said.

According to the most recent figures available, more than 881,000 Missourians are enrolled in the Medicaid program, which has varying degrees of coverage based on income. More than 60 percent are children, and 18.6 percent are people with disabilities.

The expansion proposal calls for coverage of all Americans who make below 138 percent of the federal poverty level — about $31,800 a year for a family of four or $15,400 a year for a single person.

That includes childless adults who cannot participate in Missouri’s current program, and increased coverage for parents. The expansion would also reduce the number of seniors and disabled Missourians who have to spend some of their income before they can receive Medicaid benefits.

A recent study from the Urban Institute shows that many of the Missouri residents who would benefit from an expansion here are male, white and younger than 44.