State House Committee Attempting To Block Gov. Blunt’s Insure Missouri Program From Beginning

The Missouri House Special Committee on Healthcare Transformation on Wednesday sent a letter to Secretary of State Robin Carnahan asking her to prevent the Insure Missouri program from starting as scheduled, the AP/Kansas City Star reports (AP/Kansas City Star, 1/30). The Insure Missouri plan, proposed by Gov. Matt Blunt (R), would extend health coverage to about 54,431 working parents with incomes below the federal poverty level. According to estimates, the plan could cost nearly $600 million by 2010, $47 million of which would be funded by the state. Blunt has asked the Legislature for $43 million in funding for the program next year. The program is scheduled to begin on March 14 (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 1/14).

The state Department of Social Services has filed an emergency rule to allow the program to begin in mid-March, but lawmakers claim there is no emergency to justify a quick start to the program, according to the AP/Star. A spokesperson for Carnahan said the rule is being reviewed under the normal process (AP/Kansas City Star, 1/30).