An organization of religious leaders and community activists -- the Missouri Medicaid Coalition -- presented lawmakers with more than 1,500 letters from concerned citizens.
The letters were delivered to the office of Rep. Sue Allen, R-Town & Country, on Thursday, Jan. 31. Allen serves as the chairwoman of the House Appropriations Committee on Health, Mental Health and Social Services.
Members of the coalition are calling for state lawmakers to expand Missouri's Medicaid rolls to provide coverage for 260,000 Missourians without health insurance, especially single parents and childless adults.
Retired Jefferson City Rev. John Bennett said that Medicaid expansion is a moral obligation for Missouri legislators. Bennett said his main concern lies with Missouri's uninsured children.
"There is overwhelming moral evidence that Medicaid expansion is necessary for Missouri," Bennett said.
At his State of the State address on Monday, Jan. 28, Gov. Jay Nixon touted the expansion as the right thing to do for the state. The Democratic governor also included funds for expanding Medicaid in his recent budget proposals. The Department of Social Services is looking at one of the largest percentages of budget increases with this new proposal.
"Providing health care for an estimated 300,000 more Missourians -- men, women and children -- who currently have no health insurance is the smart thing to do, and it's the right thing to do," Nixon said in a statement.
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