Governor’s Column - January 18, 2008
by Governor Matt Blunt
Increasing Access to Quality and Affordable Health Care
I am committed to increasing the number of Missouri families who have access to high quality and affordable health care. That is why I am working in your State Capitol to reduce the number of uninsured and help lower the cost of health insurance for you and other Missourians.
In my State of the State address, I discussed my Insure Missouri initiative, a plan that will help remove obstacles so that more Missourians can afford quality health insurance that offers choice and security for their families. Insure Missouri takes a big step towards reducing the number of uninsured by making it easier for more families in our state to afford health insurance.
Insure Missouri relies on the proven Missouri values of work, personal responsibility and free enterprise. Missourians believe in work. We want to help those who are trying to help themselves and their children. Insure Missouri rewards work.
Insure Missouri is no handout. Sharing in the cost provides people with the esteem that comes with ownership.
Insure Missouri is not a government program in constant danger of massive waste and cost overruns. It takes existing resources and helps Missourians buy their own personal health insurance.
With the strong Missouri values of work, personal responsibility and free enterprise, Insure Missouri will help reduce the number of uninsured Missourians in our state by nearly 200,000. And since Insure Missouri is not a big government program it requires limited additional funds. In fact, Insure Missouri uses primarily existing resources to help low-income working families purchase health care.
Insure Missouri will give Missourians a choice among competing plans. Planning is already under way to help working parents and caregivers with children in the home with incomes up to 100 percent of poverty or $20,650 for a family of four beginning in February. It is estimated that this phase will bring coverage to about 54,500 Missourians.
I am recommending this summer we offer the same coverage up to 120 percent of poverty for working parents and other working adults who are not Medicare eligible with income levels set by the General Assembly, allowing an additional 56,000 Missourians to enroll. Missourians will have access to a benefit package similar to those offered to state employees providing preventive care that includes prescription drugs, physician, hospital, emergency room, and mental health services and durable medical equipment.
Within five years, nearly 200,000 Missourians will gain access to health insurance through Insure Missouri.
To support the Insure Missouri program, I am encouraging your elected representatives to support this important initiative to help Missouri's lower income uninsured purchase their own health insurance. As I said before, we can expand access to quality, affordable health insurance to Missouri families using primarily existing resources.
All Missourians can be proud of the fact that we have banded together and are improving the delivery of health care services for all Missourians. We have replaced Missouri's outdated Medicaid program with Mo HealthNet that is focused on wellness and prevention and not only sickness. Innovative solutions like a health care home, expanded access to care for foster children and increased use of technology are improving health care for participants and improving the health and well being of Missourians.
Change is never easy, but I know that Missourians will see that the changes we are making to health care are working and will provide greater opportunity and prosperity for Missouri families.