JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — One of Missouri’s most influential business groups on Friday announced support for a ballot proposal that would expand Medicaid to thousands more low-income adults.
Announcing the Missouri Chamber of Commerce’s support, President and CEO Daniel Mehan cited a study that shows expanding eligibility for the government health care program would create more than 16,300 new jobs annually in the first four years of the program.
The study was done by Massachusetts-based economic analytics firm Regional Economic Models, Inc. and commissioned by the Missouri Foundation for Health.
“Let’s not miss this chance to bolster our economy during this recovery while expanding access to healthcare for our fellow Missourians,” Mehan said in a statement.
Missouri’s Medicaid program currently doesn’t cover most adults without children and has one of the nation’s lowest income eligibility thresholds for parents. The ballot proposal would expand coverage to adults earning up to 138% of the federal poverty level, which is about $17,600 annually for an individual or $30,000 for a family of three.
The Chamber’s support is significant because the organization plays a major role in Missouri politics and has particular sway among Republican elected officials, many of whom — including Gov. Mike Parson — oppose Medicaid expansion.