A judge in mid-Missouri’s Cole County expects to issue his decision in Missouri’s Medicaid expansion lawsuit by tomorrow (Wednesday). Brian Hauswirth covered Monday’s hearing in Jefferson City:
Three Missouri women are suing the state over the issue of Medicaid expansion. They note 53 percent of Missouri voters approved Amendment Two in August. Their attorney, Chuck Hatfield, told Cole County Judge Jon Beetem that Missouri lawmakers approved funding for Medicaid expansion. He’s asking the judge to issue an injunction that would allow his three clients and others like them to be enrolled in Medicaid on July 1. State Solicitor General D. John Sauer says Missouri lawmakers voted four times against Medicaid expansion this session.
Attorney Chuck Hatfield, who represents the three plaintiffs, tells Missourinet that there is no expansion population and that there was an election where Missourians voted to amend the Constitution:
But Solicitor General D. John Sauer says the Legislature only appropriated funding this year for the pre-existing Medicaid population. Sauer says it would take three appropriations bills to approve Medicaid expansion, including money for the Office of Administration (OA) budget. Cole County Judge Jon Beetem expects to rule by Wednesday.
