JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — State politicians deemed the 2009 legislative session a success Friday night, touting that successful bills on economic development, crime and education were en route to the governor’s desk.

“There was one key issue that unfortunately didn’t make it toward the finish line,” Gov. Jay Nixon said during a Capitol press conference after the legislature adjourned from its regular session.

Legislators went home Friday without passing health care legislation, the end result of a roughly 24-hour political power play.

When it wasn’t clear Thursday afternoon if the Senate would pass a jobs bill, leaders in the House held a different bill that would’ve expanded state health care to 35,000 more low-income Missourians.

When the Senate on Friday morning voted up the jobs bill, the House continued to stall negotiations. Senators then offered up a different bill they amended with the health care plan and sent it over to the House, but representatives let the session expire at 6 p.m. without ever considering it.

“We were oh so close,” Mr. Nixon said, calling the tactic “short-sighted.”

House Speaker Ron Richard, R-Joplin, had a different description. “We have a different vision on health care,” he said.

The Senate and House have varied greatly on their versions of a health care plan to decrease the number of Missouri’s uninsured.

The Senate endorsed Mr. Nixon’s plan, based on income that involved a deal with Missouri hospitals to shoulder the financial burden. House leaders, however, contended the plan would’ve cost the state too much money and hospitals would have made money off the deal. Instead, the House opted for legislation that would’ve insured “the uninsurable,” a different population of Missourians with pre-existing conditions and other factors that make it difficult for them to get health insurance.

“Insuring the uninsurables wouldn’t have given the hospital as big of a windfall, but it would’ve helped the population who truly need and deserve it,” said Rep. Dr. Rob Schaaf, R-St. Joseph, a vocal critic of the governor’s plan.

Senate President Pro Tem Charlie Shields, R-St. Joseph, said adjourning without an agreed-upon health care bill was the session’s biggest failure.

“Clearly, the Senate put the bill in a position to pass,” Mr. Shields said. “That’s disappointing, but that doesn’t mean the issue is dead.”

Asked if the governor would call a special session on health care, Mr. Nixon said, “I haven’t ruled it out, but I don’t have any plans right now.”

Alyson E. Raletz can be reached

at alysonraletz@npgco.com.