Missouri governor looks to Senate for healthcare plan

AP/St. Louis Post-Dispatch, March 27, 2009

Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon is shifting his hopes for expanding government healthcare to the Senate after the House passed a budget containing no money for it. The Senate Appropriations Committee chairman says there is considerable support in his chamber for expanding health coverage, either through Nixon's plan or a private-sector alternative. The Republican-led House approved a $22.8 billion operating budget for next year after a multi-day debate that focused on how much the state can afford to spend. A key point of disagreement is Nixon's proposal to spend $145 million to expand Medicaid health coverage to an estimated 35,000 low-income parents.