Hospitals, government weigh the costs of Medicaid expansion

Intro:	Governor Jay Nixon voiced support Thursday for an expansion of Medicaid. Without it, there may not be a way to make up for millions in cuts from Obamacare.
RunTime:	0:48
OutCue:	SOC

Wrap: Missouri was the seventh largest recipient of federal payments to hospitals serving large numbers of low-income patients in 2011, and those payments are getting cut in half by 2020.

Missouri Hospital Association spokesman Dave Dillon says Missouri hospitals account for about $1 billion in uncompensated care each year, and the loss in payments will cause difficulty for hospitals.

Actuality:	DILLON2.WAV
Run Time:	00:14
Description: "If they disappear or are substantially reduced and we don't see an increase in Medicaid, or folks enrolling in an exchange, the hospital and healthcare infrastructure in the state will be significantly hurt by this."

Some Republicans have voiced opposition to the expansion, but the Missouri Chamber of Commerce has supported it because of its potential for economic growth.

Reporting from the state capitol, I'm Nick Thompson.

Intro:	Missouri hospitals face millions of dollars in cuts as a result of Obamacare, prompting Governor Jay Nixon to voice support of Medicaid expansion on Thursday.
RunTime:	0:43
OutCue:	SOC

Wrap: As Missouri lawmakers mull Medicaid expansion, hospitals who serve large numbers of low-income patients are wondering how they will get by.

Obamacare cuts payments to those hospitals in half by 2020.

Missouri Hospital Association spokesman Dave Dillon says it means some hospitals may have to close their doors.

Actuality:	DILLON4.WAV
Run Time:	00:13
Description: "Absolutely, there are hospitals in the state that are operating at the margin or in the red, and it will be more difficult for those hospitals to continue to operate."

Some Republicans have voiced opposition to the expansion, but the Missouri Chamber of Commerce has supported it because of its potential for economic growth.

Reporting from the state capitol, I'm Nick Thompson.

Intro:	If Missouri decides not to expand Medicaid, hospitals say the state may be missing out on a chance to reduce costs to patients and insurers.
RunTime:	0:42
OutCue:	SOC

Wrap: Obamacare cuts payments to hospitals serving large numbers of low-income patients in half by 2020, because Medicaid expansion was going to cover these patients.

Missouri Hospital Association spokesman Dave Dillon says the cut in payments means the costs have to be absorbed somewhere.

Actuality:	DILLON5.WAV
Run Time:	00:14
Description: "frankly most of the people who have looked at this say it is too large to be absorbed into private payers, it would just drive those rates too high and people would stop buying insurance or employers would drop insurance."

Dillon says the infusion of federal dollars from the expansion would create economic growth, and would be worth the cost to Missouri.

Reporting from the state capitol, I'm Nick Thompson.