By Maria Hickey, KWMU
St. Louis, MO – Governor Matt Blunt is calling lawsuits filed against the state over Medicaid cuts "frivolous."
A coalition of public interest groups and several Medicaid recipients filed suit Monday over cuts to medical equipment such as wheelchair batteries and feeding tubes. Those cuts go into effect Thursday; the suit seeks an injunction to keep them from taking effect.
Another lawsuit was filed earlier this month against the governor for the state's cuts in monthly support for families with adopted children.
Blunt says such lawsuits waste taxpayer dollars: "It's not a good use of anyone's time or energy; it's certainly not a good use of Missouri tax dollar to really have to defend against what are frivolous lawsuits."
The governor says the state is trying to provide health care to the poor while living within its means.
The latest lawsuit - filed Monday in in Jefferson City- claims Missouri violated federal law by cutting durable medical equipment coverage for about 370,000 residents.