Sweeping health care changes await Gov. Kehoe’s signature

The Missouri General Assembly concluded its 2026 legislative session with a series of health care reforms awaiting Governor Mike Kehoe’s signature by mid-July. Among the changes, HB 2372 mandates health insurers to cover a full year’s supply of oral contraceptives at once, while also extending Medicaid coverage for doula services and creating a doula registry under the Department of Health and Senior Services. The legislation also requires insurers to reimburse providers of 340B drugs—federally discounted medications for safety-net providers—at the same rate as other providers, and bars tactics that encourage opioid prescriptions over nonopioid alternatives. The bill allows Medicaid patients access to 'Food is Medicine' programs by covering prescribed diets and nutrition counseling. It also updates Missouri’s emergency response framework, permitting ambulance district consolidations without public votes, though a referendum could still block such mergers. Additional provisions include expanding epinephrine device definitions, requiring allergy prevention plans in child care, and allowing hospitals to invest up to 50% of nonoperating funds. A separate bill, SB 878, aligns with some omnibus provisions by regulating drug reimbursements and pharmacy practices. Meanwhile, Kehoe must also approve a budget for the Department of Social Services, which oversees Medicaid and SNAP programs, amid ongoing federal policy shifts from the Trump administration’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The reforms aim to address maternal health, opioid misuse, and healthcare accessibility while streamlining administrative processes for providers and patients.