APM’s ‘Marketplace Morning Report’ Examines Missouri Medicaid Program

APM's "Marketplace Morning Report" on Thursday as part of its "The Real Agenda" series on issues in the November elections examined the Medicaid program in Missouri, which according to APM, "went from being one of the best states for insuring its citizens to one of the worst." According to APM, more than 116,000 Missouri residents, including children and disabled beneficiaries, were disqualified from Medicaid coverage over the past year (Wicai, "Marketplace Morning Report," APM, 10/26). In 2005, in an effort to restructure Medicaid, the state Legislature enacted monthly premiums for all state SCHIP program participants with incomes of more than 150% of the federal poverty level. The law also disqualified families if the parents had access to health insurance that costs less than $342 a month (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 6/19). In addition, the program in 2005 eliminated coverage of durable medical equipment such as hospital beds, wheelchair batteries, breathing aids and cushions for all beneficiaries, excluding the blind, pregnant and children (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 6/26). According to State Senate President Pro Tempore Michael Gibbons (R), Medicaid program costs increased from $400 million in 1992 to more than $1 billion in 2005. Missouri "doesn't have a plan to share yet" for restructuring the Medicaid program, and the office of Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt (R) declined to be interviewed for the APM segment, APM reports. However, a state commission made several recommendations for reforming the program, including implementing tiered copayments for beneficiaries, encouraging long-term care insurance for younger residents and emphasizing personal responsibility, according to APM. In addition, the November ballot in Missouri includes a constitutional amendment that would increase taxes on tobacco to fund health insurance programs. The segment also includes comments from Amy Blouin, founder and executive director of the Missouri Budget Project; a Missouri resident who became ineligible for Medicaid this summer; and a disabled Medicaid beneficiary ("Marketplace Morning Report," APM, 10/26).
The complete transcript and audio of the segment are available online.