During Visit to Ozarks Medical Center, Gov. Nixon Calls on General Assembly to Prevent Further Damage to the Economy by Bringing Missourians' Tax Dollars Home

Press Release

As the tab for the General Assembly's inaction on Medicaid exceeded $500 million, Gov. Jay Nixon visited Ozarks Medical Center in West Plains to call on legislators to prevent further damage to the economy and stop flow of taxpayer dollars to other states. Last week, a report from the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and the Missouri Hospital Association found that inaction on Medicaid already cost the state more than 3,000 jobs over the past six months alone. The Governor was joined by representatives of the West Plains Chamber of Commerce, which has endorsed Medicaid reform and expansion.

"Since January 1st, Missouri taxpayers have spent more than $500 million and counting to provide health care in other states -- and where our tax dollars have gone, jobs have followed," Gov. Nixon said. "The Missouri Chamber's report shows that Missouri families and communities are already paying the costs of the legislature's inaction, and it needs to stop. By denying Missourians any of the benefits but sticking them with the entire bill, the General Assembly is delivering Missouri families a one-two punch. With more than a month left in the legislative session, I urge the General Assembly to take action necessary to prevent further damage to our economy and bring Missourians' tax dollars home."

Medicaid reform and expansion would bring federal dollars that Missourians send to Washington, $2 billion a year, back to the state to provide health care coverage to 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. A majority of states, including Missouri's neighboring states of Arkansas, Kentucky, Illinois and Iowa, are moving forward with plans to expand and reform Medicaid.

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