JEFFERSON CITY (KMOX) - The Missouri Supreme Court made a unanimous decision to overturn the ruling of a lower court and will allow the expansion of Medicaid in the state. It was legislation that was approved by voters in November, but dropped by Gov. Mike Parson after the Legislature refused to provide funding.
The state's highest court overruled a Cole County Circuit judge's decision that said Medicaid expansion was unconstitutional.
After the decision by Parson in May, CEO of Centene – St. Louis area's largest public company — Michael Neidorff warned of his imminent departure saying Missouri is now "an embarrassment."
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Earlier this year, Parson said his administration had withdrawn a request to expand coverage that had been submitted to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in compliance with a constitutional amendment passed by voters last November.
After Thursday's decision, the St. Louis economic advocate group, Greater St. Louis Inc., applauded the high court.
“Medicaid expansion is a pro-growth public policy that supports better health outcomes, creates jobs and promotes racial equity. We applaud the Missouri Supreme Court for unanimously standing in support of the majority of Missouri voters who passed Amendment Two to expand Medicaid," read the statement from Greater St. Louis Inc. “It is hard to overstate the positive impact this decision will have on economic growth across the state of Missouri. The state is expected to see a substantial increase of new high-quality jobs. More hard-working families will have access to health care. Our health care sector will be able to expand and hire more people in more places.
“We were proud to lead the statewide coalition of chambers of commerce and economic development groups that joined the legal effort to expand Medicaid. We believe the majority of Missouri voters got it right last August and that the Missouri Supreme Court got it right today.”
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