Wrap: Missouri’s Office of Administration said the federal money was not anticipated and may go to any program the administration chooses

House Budget Chair Scott Fitzpatrick said the governor should not fund programs the legislature did not approve in its budget process.

Fitzpatrick also said competition for government contracts are better for the state.

The governor withheld over two-hundred and fifty million dollars from the budget he signed in June.

Wrap: Office of Administration Budget Director Dan Haug said the PDMP funding was available from unexpected federal payments toward the State Children’s Health Insurance Program.

A no-bid contract of two hundred and fifty thousand dollars was awarded to Express Scripts. The company manages prescriptions for healthcare and insurance providers. It also donated twenty-five thousand dollars to Governor Eric Greitens’ campaign after the election in 2016.

Greitens said the lack of bidding was because of the urgency of tackling opioid abuse. 

The company will collect Missourians’ prescription records for controlled substances and send reports of over-prescribing doctors.Missouri’s Department of Health and Human Services will then use those reports to punish over-prescribers.

Jack Morrisroe. Newsradio 1120 (eleven twenty) K-M-O-X