Medicaid Expansion

Missouri Republicans are trying to avoid funding an expansion that would give 275,000 people health insurance. Democrats argue they are pushing ideology over the will of the people.

The Trump administration has given states ways to restrict spending on the government insurance program for low-income Americans. A Biden administration would expand Medicaid coverage.

Missouri is the second state to expand the health care program via ballot measure during the pandemic. Nearly a quarter-million people could get health insurance thanks to the measure.

Advocates for expansion say it would create jobs, protect hospitals from budget cuts, bring billions of federal taxpayer dollars back to the state, and bring health coverage to 230,000 more people.

A narrow majority approved the ballot measure, making Oklahoma the 37th state to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. An estimated 200,000 uninsured adults will now qualify for coverage.

A national study shows that North Carolina ranks high on a list of states with community hospitals in danger of closing. 

Both sides say they want the high court to quickly weigh in on a case that could invalidate the federal health law. Whatever the court decides will likely have consequences in 2020 elections.

Though it has been on the books for nearly a decade, the Affordable Care Act faces a big court challenge right now that could overturn it. Here's what happens if the federal health law goes away.

Under the new rules, most adults who quality for Medicaid coverage will be required to prove they work at least 80 hours a month, or are doing other activities like volunteering or hunting for a job.