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Dempsey Denies Mo. Senate Republicans Are Reversing Opposition To Medicaid Expansion

State Sen. Tom Dempsey (R, St. Charles) hopes to bring the unemployment benefits bill up again before April 2nd.
Mo. Senate
State Sen. Tom Dempsey (R, St. Charles) hopes to bring the unemployment benefits bill up again before April 2nd.

The leader of the Missouri Senate is denying reports from some conservative bloggers that top Republicans are planning an about-face on Medicaid expansion.

In particular, Red State published a report Monday that President Pro-tem Tom Dempsey (R, St. Charles) and Senator Mike Parson (R, Bolivar) were backing a so-called “shell bill” that would be used to add Medicaid expansion to next year’s state budget.  Dempsey denies that report.

“For my part, no, there’s no truth in those rumors at all," Dempsey told reporters Monday night.  "My opposition to Obamacare has been consistent and unwavering.”

Dempsey also responded via Twitter:  "Don't be a lemming. Just because some idiot posts on his blog that I sponsored a bill doesn't make it so. Have been (and) remain opposed to ACA."

Dempsey says he wants Washington to instead use block grants to allow states the flexibility to craft their own health care solutions, instead of having one, overarching federal health care system.

Follow Marshall Griffin on Twitter:  @MarshallGReport

Marshal was a political reporter for St. Louis Public Radio until 2018.