Write your MO House Rep today: SB539, [Medicaid]

[usregimechange]

Conclusion

SB 539 would enable Missouri to implement most of the dramatic cuts
to the Medicaid program that are proposed in the Governor's budget.
The legislation and the Governor's budget cuts would directly cause
more than 112,000 people to become uninsured, eliminate a wide
variety of Medicaid services, greatly expand the use of co-payments
and allow Medicaid providers to refuse service to individuals who
are unable to make these co-payments. These reforms would have a
dramatic impact on people's health, as well as the state's economy
and its health care system.

The legislation also includes an entirely separate set of provisions
modifying the Senior Rx program to conform to the Medicare
Modernization Act and the new Part D benefit. These provisions have
the potential to benefit the State and dually eligible Missourians
but could easily be addressed in separate legislation that does not
make substantial cuts to the Missouri Medicaid program.

From:

MISSOURI MEDICAID UPDATE: PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS OF KEY MEDICAID
PROVISIONS IN SB 539 AS PASSED BY THE MISSOURI SENATE AND RELATED
MEDICAID PROPOSALS

March 29, 2005

Joel Ferber
Managing Attorney
Health and Welfare Unit
Legal Services of Eastern Missouri
4232 Forest Park Ave.
St. Louis, MO
63108

http://www.masw.org/policy/2005/reports/Revised_analysis_SB539.pdf