On Tax Day, Gov. Nixon Calls on the Legislature to Bring Missourians' Tax Dollars Home

Press Release

As Missourians across the state filed their federal taxes, Gov. Jay Nixon today called on the General Assembly to stop the flow of Missourians' tax dollars to other states and prevent further damage to Missouri's economy. As a result of the state legislature's refusal to strengthen and reform Medicaid, Missouri taxpayers have now spent $574 million to expand and improve health care in other states since January 1st. To see what they are paying for Missourians can now visit www.MO.gov/WePaidForIt, which includes a map of bipartisan reform and expansion efforts in states across the country.

"This year's Tax Day is a stark reminder that because of the legislature's inaction on Medicaid, the tax dollars Missourians send to Washington are being spent right now to improve and reform health care in other states," Gov. Nixon said. "With a month left in the legislative session, it's time for the General Assembly to protect taxpayers and bring affordable health coverage to working families in Missouri by strengthening and expanding Medicaid the Missouri way. Let's stop paying for health care in other states and start reforming it in ours."

Medicaid reform and expansion would bring the federal dollars that Missourians send to Washington, $2 billion a year, back to the state to provide health care coverage to an additional 300,000 working Missourians making no more than $32,913 a year for a family of four. As a result of the legislature's failure to act, those dollars -- $5.47 million a day -- are now being spent in other states.

Under the Affordable Care Act, Medicaid expansion was also meant to compensate for payment cuts to hospitals and health care providers. Even though Missouri did not expand Medicaid, many of those payment cuts are still taking effect, forcing many hospitals to reduce staff and services. According to a survey by the Missouri Chamber and MHA, "more than one-third of layoffs and one half of hiring freezes have been in rural areas where the need for health care workers is great and hospital jobs help support the economy."

According to an analysis by the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center (MERIC), expanding and reforming Medicaid would result in the creation of 23,868 jobs, $9.9 billion in new wages, and $14.6 billion in new Gross State Product (GSP) from 2015 to 2022. According to the report, Medicaid expansion would also generate $402 million in new state general revenue from 2015 to 2022, including $53 million in new general revenue in 2015 alone. In recognition of the economic benefits of Medicaid expansion, as well as the high costs of sending Missourians' tax dollars to other states, a total of 69 chambers of commerce and business groups have endorsed strengthening and reforming Medicaid in Missouri.

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