Nixon presses Medicaid expansion with Senate GOP; Republicans say no deal

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Intro:	Gov. Jay Nixon is keeping the pressure on lawmakers in the state Capitol to expand Missouri's Medicaid program and bring millions of federal dollars to the state.
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Nixon talks to reporters after making his case on Medicaid to Republican senators

Wrap: The Medicaid expansion is part of federal health care law and would help low-income families get health coverage. Nixon says making the program bigger could bring lots of federal money back to Missouri.

Nixon has now talked to Republicans in state House and Senate about the idea. And he says he thinks Republicans are starting to support it.

Actuality:	NIXON1.WAV
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Description: "I think the more I talk with legislators, the more focused they become on this opportunity."

But lawmakers have already voted against the Medicaid expansion several times. And the top Republican in the Senate says that no deal came out of the new talks.

If lawmakers are going to approve an expansion this year, they only have six more weeks left.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Wes Duplantier. Newsradio 1120. KMOX.

Intro:	Gov. Jay Nixon is keeping the pressure on lawmakers in the state Capitol to expand Missouri's Medicaid program and bring millions of federal dollars to the state.
RunTime:	0:45
OutCue:	SOC

Wrap: The Medicaid expansion is part of federal health care law. Nixon has now made his case for expansion to Republicans in the House and Senate.

He says it will help families afford health care and that it will bring Missouri millions in federal money.

But the Republican-controlled legislature has voted the idea down several times. The leader of the Senate Republicans, Senator Tom Dempsey of St. Charles, says he'll keep talking about the idea with other Republicans. But he said:

Actuality:	DEMPSEY1.WAV
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Description: "But no there was no agreement with the governor to move forwad on Medicaid expansion that came out of this most recent meeting."

If lawmakers are going to expand Medicaid, they only have about six weeks left this session.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Wes Duplantier. Newsradio 1120. KMOX.

Intro:	Gov. Jay Nixon is keeping the pressure on lawmakers in the state Capitol to expand Missouri's Medicaid program and bring millions of federal dollars to the state.
RunTime:	0:46
OutCue:	SOC

Wrap: Nixon has now made his case to Republicans in the House and the Senate. He says making the Medicaid program bigger will help people afford health care--and he says the federal government pick up the tab for the first three years.

But top Republican in the Senate says that no deal came out of the new talks. Lawmakers have already voted against the Medicaid expansion several times. And they have taken it out their version of next year's budget.

If Republicans are going to expand Medicaid this year, they have only six weeks left. Still, Nixon said he thinks a deal can get done.

Actuality:	NIXON2.WAV
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Description: "We clearly have time to get this done. We clearly have time to move this forward. And I'll continue to press this."

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Wes Duplantier. Newsradio 1120. KMOX.