Blunt Requests Delay Of Insure Missouri

Published: Friday, February 22, 2008

Governor Blunt and legislative leaders have held conversations that are building consensus around the expansion of coverage for low-income working adults. Lawmakers participating in these negotiations appear to be receptive to some of the concepts embodied in the Insure Missouri proposal. They also are discussing changes to the original program that may include revisions to the state’s high risk insurance program, reforms to the health insurance marketplace for the uninsured and micro employers and expanded coverage for Missouri’s disabled population.

To allow these positive negotiations to continue, the governor announced today that he asked the Missouri Department of Social Services to withdraw the emergency rule previously filed with Secretary of State Robin Carnahan. This rule would have allowed parents and caregivers with incomes less than 100 percent of the federal poverty level to be covered under Phase I of the Insure Missouri program beginning in March 2008. Some members of the legislature had expressed displeasure that an emergency rule had been filed without their formal approval of the program.

Although this action will delay the implementation of Phase I of Insure Missouri for several months, this show of good faith by the governor will allow all parties to focus on the program and funding aspects of covering the low-income uninsured residents of our state instead of the mechanics of implementing the program.

Please be assured that the Missouri Hospital Association has every intention of continuing its pressure on legislative leaders through our lobbying efforts and public awareness campaign. Radio and newspaper advertising will continue to run statewide throughout the next several weeks. We have received significant interest in this issue from the general public, and they are expressing their opinions to legislators.

We will keep you apprised of developments during the next several weeks as these negotiations proceed. We remain confident that opportunities for significant expansions of coverage for low-income Missourians will emerge from the 2008 session of the Missouri General Assembly.