As an advocate for seniors in Jefferson City , health care and healthcare financing were some of the greatest issues I faced. Missouri is one of the few states in the nation that has actually had a reduction in the number of insured. While other states are moving toward universal access to health care, Missouri cut over 100,000 people from the roles of state sponsored care. These short-sighted cuts did significant damage to our community, our healthcare providers, and our safety-net providers. Since those cuts went into effect nearly four years ago, our state has turned down billions of dollars in federal matching funds.
Certainly, the most economic universal health care system is a single-payer system. I doubt that our state or our country is ready for that yet. I do believe, however, by using the systems that are already in place – Medicaid, Medicare, and Private Insurance – we can develop a plan that leaves no one behind. When the cuts were made in 2005, Governor Blunt and the Republican legislators didn’t ask themselves whether those cut from the roles would find private health insurance – and indeed all data since then would imply that they have not.
Several innovative ideas have surfaced since 2005, however. Other states have already begun adding parents of children eligible for the State Children’s Health Insurance Program to the SCHIP roles. SCHIP requires a lower match rate from the state, therefore allowing more people to be covered at a lower cost. Studies have also shown that children whose parents have health coverage are more likely to receive preventive care themselves. In the last two years, covering these adults – or even expanding the number of children eligible has been denied by our federal administration, but I am confident that under a new President, a new SCHIP program for Missouri will be endorsed.
Also, the Missouri Hospital Association brought a plan before the General Assembly last session that would have used the Federal Reimbursement Allowance – funds paid by hospitals – to fund expansion of Medicaid. These funds, then leveraged as a match for more federal funds would find their way back into the pockets of our providers, while ensuring that more Missourians had access to health care services.
Missouri doesn’t have a fiscal gap when it comes to providing health care - we have a creativity gap and a sympathy gap. This type of creativity and sympathy were championed by representatives who will not be returning to the Missouri State House. The voices of these strong, intelligent leaders will need to be replaced this year with new, seasoned advocates in the field of health care policy. With your vote, I will be able to put my experience in this field to work for our neighbors and friends.