Missouri Amendment 8, MedAssist Public Health Coverage and Earnings Tax Initiative (1988)

Missouri Amendment 8
Election date November 8, 1988
Topic Income taxes and Public health insurance
Status Defeated
Type Initiated constitutional amendment	Origin Citizens

Missouri Amendment 8 was on the ballot as an initiated constitutional amendment in Missouri on November 8, 1988. It was defeated.

A "yes" vote supported this ballot initiative to create a public health insurance program called MedAssist, including: enacting a 0.6% tax on wages earned and net business profits to fund the program; establish a dedicated trust fund for the program; provide that MedAssist shall cover certain uninsured and low-income individuals, Medicare beneficiaries, disabled children, people disqualified from Medicaid due to homeownership, and those with catastrophic or high-risk illnesses; create a governor-appointed board to oversee eligibility, benefits, and cost-sharing; and provide tax credits to employers offering qualifying health coverage.

A "no" vote opposed this ballot initiative to create a public health insurance program called MedAssist.

Election results

Missouri Amendment 8
Result		Votes	Percentage
Yes		550,974	28.65%
No		1,372,102	71.35%

Results are officially certified.

Source

Text of measure

Ballot title

The ballot title for Amendment 8 was as follows:

“

Amendment No. 8- (Proposed by initiative petition) Shall the Constitution of Missouri be amended by adding a new Article entitled "Health Care" which will create a trust fund to provide health care coverage for persons experiencing catastrophic or high-risk illnesses, assist certain persons with medicare premiums, provide health care coverage to certain uninsured persons and which will provide for the collection of an earnings tax of six-tenths of one percent which, when collected, will be kept separate from general revenue and allocated on a percentage basis for the various health care coverages? New earnings tax raises $296 million annually; 22% for increased payments to Health Care providers; may produce between $98 million and $159 million increased Federal Funds; collection cost to General Revenue $3 million annually.

”

Path to the ballot

See also: Signature requirements for ballot measures in Missouri

An initiated constitutional amendment is a citizen-initiated ballot measure that amends a state's constitution. Eighteen (18) states allow citizens to initiate constitutional amendments.

In Missouri, the number of signatures required for an initiated constitutional amendment is based on the number of votes cast for governor in the state's most recent gubernatorial election. In two-thirds of Missouri's congressional districts, proponents must collect signatures equal to 8% of the gubernatorial vote for initiated constitutional amendments. A simple majority vote is required for voter approval.

See also

1988 Measures

• 1988 Measures
• Income taxes on the ballot
• Restricted-use funds on the ballot
• Public health insurance on the ballot
• 1988 legislative sessions

Missouri

• Missouri ballot measures
• Missouri ballot measure laws

News and analysis

• Ballot measure lawsuits
• Ballot measure readability
• Ballot measure polls

External links

• Missouri State Archives - The Blue Book