By Marshall Griffin, KWMU
Jefferson City, MO – The Missouri House and Senate Thursday night reached an agreement on Missouri HealthNet, the program set to replace the state's Medicaid system next year.
Missouri HealthNet's core philosophy will remain intact: Emphasizing prevention and wellness over repeatedly treating those already ill.
House Speaker Pro-tem Carl Bearden says both sides had a lot of differences to work out. "The Senate's version was primarily, what I would call a skeleton version with some statutory authorization, but mainly left a lot up to the departments," Bearden said Thursday. "And our version was to specify it just a little bit more of what needed to happen."
The Senate got to keep the provision that pays doctors based on performance, and the House got to keep increases for doctor reimbursements. And patients will get dental & optometric services, along with certain medical equipment.
House and Senate leaders say they're determined to vote the bill out before the 2007 session ends later today (Friday).
"It is designed to create health improvement plans, put everybody in Medicaid right now into health improvement plan based on wellness prevention, improved quality, cost savings, and improved levels of consumer choice," said Majority Floor Leader Charlie Shields.
Democrats maintain, though, that Missouri's poor would be better served if Medicaid cuts made two years ago were restored.