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Lawmakers are preparing to finalize the budget for the upcoming fiscal year in July. MO HealthNet, having reported to the appropriations subcommittee, highlighted an increase in enrollment following the state’s adoption of Medicaid expansion. Despite this growth, the department’s revenue remains steady. Director Todd Richardson notes that the program’s expansion enables the state government to allocate funds to other agencies.
“If Medicaid expenditures are growing faster than the state’s general revenue, then we are not sustainable by definition. This period demonstrates that, although I cannot yet declare ‘mission accomplished,’ it’s a program moving towards sustainability. We have significantly limited the amount of general revenue consumed by Medicaid in relation to the overall state operating budget,” he explains.
He attributes the increase in enrollment to both the COVID-19 pandemic and voter-approved Medicaid expansion.
