Missourians to rally Thursday, when voter-approved Medicaid expansion was supposed to take effect

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

On Thursday, the day Medicaid expansion would have taken effect, Missourians plan to rally outside the Governors Mansion at 11 a.m.

Missourians in support of expansion plan to share their personal health care stories during the rally.

Missouri Jobs with Justice has set up a hotline where Missourians can express their frustration about the failure to expand Medicaid after voters approved the amendment back in August. More than 100 Missourians have already left personal messages.

More than 275,000 Missourians would have become eligible to sign up for the health insurance program Thursday. However, Gov. Mike Parson directed his administration not to go through with expansion after the legislature failed to appropriate extra money to cover the newly eligible.

Last week, the lawyers for three women seeking to force Missouri to expand Medicaid eligibility asked the Missouri Supreme Court to take the case. The legal team filed a notice of appeal to the state's highest court.

Arguments will be heard again for the case on July 13.