Gov. Mike Parson has signed a bill renewing a critical Medicaid funding tax.
Missouri lawmakers have passed a bill to renew a critical Medicaid funding tax. The House voted 140-13 Wednesday to send the bill to Parson. Parson called lawmakers back to the Capitol last week to renew the tax on hospitals and other medical providers. He gave the Republican-led Legislature until Thursday to act. He threatened $722 million in budget cuts if they didn't get the tax renewed by then.
The tax renewal is typically uncontroversial. But some anti-abortion lawmakers tried to use the legislation as a vehicle to block Medicaid funding for Planned Parenthood. The bill headed to Parson's desk doesn't include such a ban.