Politics & Government

What Gov. Nixon Will Be in Kirkwood to Promote: Details Here

The governor will be in Kirkwood this afternoon. He's looking for business support for a major initiative that's facing opposition in the GOP-controlled state legislature.

Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon plans a Tuesday afternoon stop in Kirkwood at the Kirkwood Community Center to continue his push for the state to expand access to Medicaid.

Under the Affordable Care Act, the federal government will cover 100 percent of the costs for three years. The Nixon administration believes that will hep 300,000 Missourians who do not have health insurance coverage.

Read: Advocates Demand Missouri Expands Medicaid Coverage by 2014

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The expansion is part of the Governor's budget proposal, and has been met with opposition by the GOP-controlled state legislature.

The Associated Press reported "Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Kurt Schaefer, R-Columbia, said it wasn’t politically realistic to accept the federal money, add thousands of people to the government-funded health care program and then kick them off after several years. Schaefer said he, too, wants to improve the Medicaid program. But he asked rhetorically: “Is this the right fix? Is this the right way to do it?”

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Some GOP Governors, including New Jersey's Chris Christie have also supported the expansion. 

Nixon has been cultivating support from business groups for the plan, getting endorsements from the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and other local chambers.

Tuesday's event is scheduled for the Kirkwood Community Center at 1:45 p.m.


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