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Kinder calls on legislators to refuse health insurance exchange, Medicaid expansion

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Missouri Lt. Governor Peter Kinder is urging state lawmakers to refrain from creating a health insurance exchange or expanding Medicaid when they convene for their regular session next year. 

The Republican Lt. Governor, who was just elected to a third term, has been an outspoken critic of the president’s Affordable Care Act and filed one of several lawsuits across the country challenging its constitutionality.  In a written statement he says creating an exchange would violate the state’s Healthcare Freedom Act passed by Missouri voters two years ago.  He also calls on the legislature to not pass any bills that would set up a state-run exchange or expand Medicaid.  Democratic Governor Jay Nixon, meanwhile, says he’s barred from creating an exchange unless lawmakers move to do so, because of a ballot initiative that passed on Election Day.  If they don’t, the feds will step in and create one for Missouri.

Missouri Public Radio State House Reporter Marshall Griffin is a proud alumnus of the University of Mississippi (a.k.a., Ole Miss), and has been in radio for over 20 years, starting out as a deejay. His big break in news came when the first President Bush ordered the invasion of Panama in 1989. Marshall was working the graveyard shift at a rock station, and began ripping news bulletins off the old AP teletype and reading updates between songs. From there on, his radio career turned toward news reporting and anchoring. In 1999, he became the capital bureau chief for Florida's Radio Networks, and in 2003 he became News Director at WFSU-FM/Florida Public Radio. During his time in Tallahassee he covered seven legislative sessions, Governor Jeb Bush's administration, four hurricanes, the Terri Schiavo saga, and the 2000 presidential recount. Before coming to Missouri, he enjoyed a brief stint in the Blue Ridge Mountains, reporting and anchoring for WWNC-AM in Asheville, North Carolina. Marshall lives in Jefferson City with his wife, Julie, their dogs, Max and Mason, and their cat, Honey.
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