More Missourians sign up for Medicaid expansion

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reported last week more than 17,000 people have signed up for health coverage under Missouri's Medicaid program since it began accepting applications from an expanded population in August.

The Show Me State is in line for approximately $968 million in additional federal funding through the American Rescue Plan (ARP) over the next two years for MO HealthNet, which is what Missouri calls its Medicaid program.

Although voters approved in August 2020 expanding Medicaid coverage to cover about 275,000 more people, its implementation was delayed as courts decided whether the amendment was constitutional.

The state began to process applications Oct. 1 after a Cole County judge said qualifying individuals could not be denied.

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