By Maria Hickey, KWMU
St. Louis, MO. – Some health care advocates are calling attention to proposed cuts to Medicare and Medicaid they say will jeopardize long-term care for the elderly.
Organizations including the Missouri Health Care Association say federal cuts will mean millions of dollars less for the state over the next decade.
Executive director Earl Carlson says the loss of funding will likely mean staff cuts in nursing homes.
"Any cuts that we see in the Medicare, Medicaid program are going to come directly to threaten the quality of care of the patients that live in nursing facilities," Carlson said.
Missouri Governor Matt Blunt also is pushing for a restructuring of Medicaid in the state, which would make 89,000 residents ineligible for the program.