Attorneys for the state said the budget bills clearly don’t anticipate the expanded population of enrollees. Rather, the spending blueprint is based on the MO HealthNet program serving its current roster of clients, which includes children, pregnant women and some disabled adults.
The court, in its 14-page ruling, however, wrote there is “no such limitation” in the budget bills.
And it said eligibility criteria for the program “are valid and now in effect.”
The court was meeting on an expedited schedule because the expansion was supposed to go into effect on July 1.
Healthcare for Missouri, a coalition that lobbied for expansion, issued a statement expressing relief for the decision.
“We’re grateful that the Missouri Supreme Court’s unanimous ruling will bring clarity and resolution to this critical issue in which the voters spoke almost a year ago. We look forward to seeing Medicaid expansion swiftly implemented by the State so that all eligible Missourians receive the access to healthcare they need,” the group said in a statement.
Nina Canaleo, a 38-year-old Kansas City mother with multiple sclerosis, lauded the ruling, saying, “Because of Medicaid, I’ll be connected with treatment and therapy I need to more fully participate in the workforce and more fully enjoy life with my son. The positive impact of this decision cannot be overstated, and I am simply overjoyed.”