Missouri lawmakers enacted new religious exemptions from insurance coverage of birth control Wednesday, overriding a gubernatorial veto and delivering a political rebuke to an Obama administration policy requiring insurers to cover contraception.

Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon vetoed legislation Thursday that would have banned mandatory insurance coverage of birth control for anyone with religious or moral objections, asserting the bill could have also allowed insurers to deny contraception to women who want it.

Missouri officials have overstated the economic benefit of the state's main job-incentive program and have been "woefully inadequate" in verifying businesses are following through on what they say they will do, the state auditor said Monday.

Republicans in at least three states want to abandon an expansion of Medicaid in President Barack Obama's health care overhaul, and more than a dozen other states are considering it in the wake of the Supreme Court decision removing the threat of federal penalties.

No matter whether the federal health care law stands or falls before the U.S. Supreme Court, Missouri voters will get to register their opinions this November on whether the governor should be allowed to set up an online marketplace for patients to shop for insurance policies.

Blind Missouri residents could have to start paying premiums of more than $100 monthly to remain eligible for state health care coverage, under a budget-cutting plan put forth Tuesday night by a Senate committee.

Some insurance agents urged caution Monday as Missouri lawmakers considered changes to a state-created workers' compensation firm that has been criticized by the state auditor for taking advantage of a federal tax exemption while spending heavily on perks.

The CEO of Missouri Employers Mutual Insurance Co. endorsed a proposal Tuesday for lawmakers to study whether any changes are needed to the state-created company after an audit recently criticized it for excessive expenses.