Medicaid Expansion Upheld

In August of 2020, a substantial majority of Missouri voters approved an amendment to ingrain Medicaid expansion into the state’s constitution. On July 22, 2021, in a unanimous decision, the Missouri Supreme Court reaffirmed the will of the people by ruling that the state has an obligation to expand Medicaid eligibility.

The verdict makes clear that Missourians who qualify under expansion have a constitutional right to Medicaid, and we applaud the court’s decision. Though this is cause for celebration, there remains a tremendous amount of work to be done to ensure that those who are newly eligible are able to apply.  Click here for communication resources from Missouri Foundation for Health that you can use to educate Missourians on Medicaid Expansion as the implementation phase begins.

Below is a statement from Dr. Dwayne Proctor, President and CEO of Missouri Foundation for Health, for their perspective on this very important issue:

Today’s supreme court decision to move forward with Medicaid expansion was the right thing to do for Missouri. It’s right because expansion will improve the health of hundreds of thousands of Missourians, and if that wasn’t reason enough, it’s also an economic win for our state. It’s right because the people have spoken, and a majority of Missouri voters said loud and clear that they support Medicaid expansion.

This ruling confirms that Missourians who qualify under expansion have a constitutional right to Medicaid coverage. This marks a significant step toward achieving health equity and ensuring that individuals and families have access to affordable, high-quality health insurance.

We look forward to working with our state’s leaders and committed partners to move ahead with full implementation. Our next step is to ensure that those who are eligible know about expansion, how to enroll, and where to access care. 

On behalf of all Missourians, we’d like to thank the numerous leaders and organizations who have worked alongside us to make it to this historic moment. We look forward to more collaborations with them and others as we strive to build a more equitable future.