Chance for Missourians to Expand Medicaid Tuesday

(Farmington) Missouri voters will have a chance to decide whether the state should expand Medicaid in Tuesday’s primary election.

Amendment 2 would modify the Missouri Constitution to extend Medicaid coverage to adults ages 19 to 64 who have incomes at or below 133-percent of the federal poverty level.

Emily Kalmer of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network says expanding Medicaid would benefit cancer patients and people with chronic health conditions who may have lost jobs in the COVID-19 crisis.

She points out that lower-income Missourians would also be able to access early detection and diagnostic tests through Medicaid.

Kalmer says Medicaid expansion would also allow cancer patients to take part in the monitoring and follow-up care they need to remain cancer free.

Groups like Families U.S.A. estimate that expanding Medicaid would give more than 350-thousand uninsured Missourians access to health coverage.