7.4%. That’s the percentage of eligible Missouri residents enrolled in Medicaid as of last Friday. KRPS’s Fred Fletcher-Fierro has more.

Last August, Missouri residents passed Medicaid expansion by just over 53%. Yet out of an estimated 275,000 residents that are eligible for the health insurance program, only 20,364 are enrolled. Missouri started accepting applications this August and started processing them in October.

Medicaid allows free or low-cost health coverage for low-income populations. For example, a single adult making up to $17,774 a year, or a family of 4 making up to $36,750 a year, may qualify for Medicaid through MO HealthNet. This includes parents who have not qualified before, as well as adults without children. Oklahoma also passed Medicaid expansion last year and 210,000 residents have signed up out of 215,000 or nearly 98% of eligible residents. Oklahoma quickly embraces expansion, while Missouri Governor Mike Parson said earlier in May of this year that he would withdraw the plan because the state legislature didn’t fund it. A judge in August ruled that Missouri couldn’t block access to the voter-approved program.