Missouri House defeats money for health-care expansion

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The Missouri House has defeated a proposed $147 million expansion of government health care to low-income parents. The defeat throws Missouri's proposed budget into jeopardy as lawmakers near Friday's constitutional deadline to pass it. The Republican-led House voted 85-75 Wednesday to reject a conference committee bill for the Department of Social Services, then voted to ask senators for further negotiations. The key sticking point is a proposal backed by Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon to provide government health care to custodial parents earning up to half the federal poverty level. The plan would be funded with $53 million from hospitals and $94 million from the federal government.

Republicans accused Nixon's staff of offering perks for a "yes" vote. A Nixon spokesman called the accusation baseless.