MO HealthNet

President Donald Trump’s new budget package cuts funding for programs like Medicaid and SNAP through work requirements.

Gov. Mike Kehoe is hopeful Congress will reverse course on major restrictions on medical provider taxes, which were included in the "Big Beautiful Bill" that President Trump signed. All of Missouri's Republican members of Congress voted in favor of it.

The new federal law is expected to eliminate $1 trillion in federal spending on Medicaid over the next decade. University Health in Kansas City, which counts on Medicaid for more than half of its patient revenue, expects a huge financial hit but vows that cutting services and staff will be the last resort.

Kimberly Gallagher gave up guardianship of her son — a decision prompted by Missouri Medicaid rules about who can be compensated for caretaking work. But as Republicans plan to slash $1 trillion in federal Medicaid spending, Gallagher is among the millions of Americans who could be required to prove that they work enough to keep their health insurance.

MO HealthNet covers more than 1.3 million, or one in five people in the state, across different eligibility groups. The majority of Missouri's Medicaid funding, including almost all of its expansion money, comes from the federal government.

Some fear the decision will make it hard for low-income Missourians to access affordable COVID-19 testing, even though testing provided by doctors and clinics will still be covered.

The rule, which will last for six months, was a response to "an immediate danger to the public health, safety or welfare of pregnant women in Missouri," according to the state Department of Social Services. Missouri has some of the worst maternal mortality rates in the U.S.

A Missouri law taking effect Wednesday would end Medicaid reimbursements for health centers associated with abortion providers, even though abortion is banned in the state. Planned Parenthood alleges it violates federal Medicaid law, which protects patients’ right to choose their health care providers.

Missouri has removed roughly 136,000 kids from its Medicaid rolls since June 2023. But the state's worst-in-nation processing delays make it difficult to re-enroll — causing many to miss doctor’s appointments and critical prescriptions.

Many patients stay away from the dentist out of concern about the costs. Health experts say that MO HealthNet covering dental exams is a significant step in Missouri's effort to improve dental access — and to boost overall health, beyond cavities, molars and gums.

Missouri’s Medicaid enrollment has shrunk by around 200,000 people since last summer, as the state continues the process of undoing a COVID-era pause on eligibility checks.

Missourians trying to enroll in or retain Medicaid — the government-run health insurance program for low-income Americans — are running headlong into the state’s increasingly-strained system. The result: lost and missing paperwork, indecipherable state notices and marathon call center wait times.