ACT NOW to Insure 54,000 Missouri Workers
Health Care for 54,000 Uninsured Missouri Workers.
Status: not dead yet, but stuck in "Emergency" room.
Last week, Missouri lawmakers forfeited an opportunity to insure 54,000 uninsured minimum wage and low income workers through a Medicaid expansion that is phase 1 of "Insure Missouri." Despite federal approval and federal money available for the program, Rep. Rob Schaaf and his Special Committee on Healthcare Transformation held up the emergency rule, saying that insuring 54,000 uninsured Missourians was not "an emergency or compelling state interest."
But Phase One of Insure Missouri is not dead yet! The 54,000 working parents eligible for this insurance may be covered in July of this year at the earliest—but only if legislators on both sides of the aisle support the program and make sure it is funded for FY09.
Some legislators want to cut this Medicaid program even before families are enrolled, and we can’t let them! Despite the fact that money is available to expand coverage to 54,000 uninsured Missourians this year, some legislators in both parties continue to attack this program. Some oppose providing Medicaid to more people; others feel the program doesn’t go far enough or help enough people. They need to hear from you!
In addition to helping the 54,000 parents to get coverage under phase 1, this years Social Services budget must include money to restore coverage for seniors and people with disabilities to the income limits they had before Gov. Blunt’s 2005 Medicaid cuts.
Click to write members of the House Budget Committee and the Special Committee on Healthcare Transformation. Also make sure you contact your Representative and Senator.
Tell them you insist they take this immediate opportunity to provide healthcare to 54,000 uninsured Missouri workers and every opportunity to expand coverage this year. Look up your legislators here.
