JEFFERSON CITY 鈥 Calling Missouri an 鈥渆mbarrassment,鈥 the CEO of one of the largest companies in the region is again threatening to abandon the state for a new corporate headquarters in North Carolina.
In comments to Health Payer Specialist, a health industry trade publication, Centene Corp. chief Michael Neidorff warned that Republican Gov. Mike Parson鈥檚 and the GOP-controlled state Legislature鈥檚 failure to approve funding for a voter-backed expansion of Medicaid has Neidorff again questioning whether he should move his company out of Missouri.
鈥淎s the largest provider of Medicaid in the United States and a Fortune 42 company I have to ask myself, 鈥榃hy am I in this state?鈥欌 Neidorff told the publication. 鈥淭his is a state that frowns on this business 鈥 what am I doing here?鈥
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鈥淚t鈥檚 an embarrassment,鈥 he added.
Marcela Hawn, a spokeswoman for Clayton-based Centene, told the Post-Dispatch in a statement Wednesday that the company is 鈥渄isappointed that the legislature did not honor Missouri voters鈥 wishes.鈥
鈥淲e believe that now, more than ever, Americans must have access to high-quality healthcare as we navigate these uncertain times. We are committed to our employees, our members and the communities we serve here in our home state, and we believe that increasing access to healthcare is an important step forward for Missouri,鈥 the statement said.
Lawmakers left the capital city Friday without funding the constitutionally mandated Medicaid expansion, despite Parson including the money in his budget blueprint and a handful of Republicans breaking ranks to push for the funding.
Senate Democrats proposed an amendment during debate over the budget to fund the Medicaid expansion at the same level Parson proposed. But the proposed change failed on a 20-14 vote, with four of 24 Republicans siding with Democrats.
Sen. Dan Hegeman, R-Cosby, who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee, sided with the Republicans, saying voters would have made a different decision if they had more information about the state budget and the future 鈥渦nknown鈥 reliability of the federal government.
Democrats said Republicans were ignoring the will of voters.
鈥淭he people have finally weighed in on this. And now the Legislature is going to abdicate its duties and leave its responsibility to a judge?鈥 Senate Minority Leader John Rizzo said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know what shark we have jumped here. God forbid the people have a voice.鈥
Some Republican supporters of expansion scoffed at GOP claims that the state can鈥檛 afford the added cost.
鈥淥bviously I think we should do it. We do have an influx of cash right now,鈥 said Republican Sen. Lincoln Hough of Springfield. 鈥淭he idea that we don鈥檛 have the money to do this, I don鈥檛 buy.鈥
Expansion, which received 53% of the vote last August, would bring health coverage to 275,000 low-income adults. The change goes into effect July 1, but without money to pay for it, it is expected to generate a court battle.
Neidorff last year raised similar concerns and said he was considering moving the health care giant to Charlotte, North Carolina, where the company is building a $1 billion eastern headquarters.
He said his efforts at recruiting top-notch talent to the region were being hurt by crime and the image it gives 50度灰视频, as well as the state鈥檚 ongoing reluctance to expand Medicaid, which is a core part of Centene鈥檚 business as a provider of managed care health insurance plans.
Centene, via subsidiary Home State Health, covers about one-third of the state鈥檚 current Medicaid managed care population.
Former Clayton mayor Harold Sanger said Wednesday that it would be 鈥渂eyond a shame鈥 to lose a company like Centene.
鈥淐entene is a very generous supporter of all things 50度灰视频,鈥 Sanger said. 鈥淚 think everybody that has anything to do with anything needs to make every possible effort to keep Centene here.鈥
Jason Hall, CEO of business booster Greater 50度灰视频 Inc., described Centene as a 鈥渕ajor corporate citizen.鈥
鈥淚f we want to be a growing community, we need more companies like that,鈥 Hall said.
Hall referred to the STL 2030 Jobs Plan, released earlier this month, which identified health care as one of the region鈥檚 most significant areas for potential future growth.
鈥淲e should be looking at ways to help expand and build upon those strengths,鈥 Hall said.
Parson said in a statement Wednesday that, though he never supported expansion, he always said he would uphold the amendment if it passed.
鈥淭he majority of Missouri voters supported it, and we included funds for the expansion in our budget proposal,鈥 Parson said. 鈥淗owever, without a revenue source or funding authority from the General Assembly, we are unable to proceed with the expansion at this time.鈥
Parson said he has a good relationship with Neidorff, and is grateful for Centene鈥檚 investments.
Parson last year said he doubted Medicaid expansion would form the basis of a major business decision like moving away from Missouri. The Republican governor, at the time, said he would continue to focus on 鈥渆ducation, health care, workforce and infrastructure.鈥
Neidorff told the trade publication he had not yet heard from Parson.
鈥淲ait 鈥榯il he hears we鈥檙e moving out, he鈥檒l probably call me then,鈥 he said.
Annika Merrilees, of the Post-Dispatch, contributed to this story.