By AP/KWMU
Jefferson City, MO – Missouri lawmakers have been hearing several suggestions for how to overhaul the state's Medicaid health care program for the poor.
One idea is to provide extra benefits to people who have healthy habits.
Someone trying to lose weight, for example, might be rewarded with expanded health care benefits.
Supporters believe that motivating people to live healthier lives would lower the need for medical care, thus saving the state money. Missouri's Medicaid Director Mike Ditmore said he would be extremely excited if the state adopted such a program.
But he's not too optimistic, because he says he's not sure the federal government will approve of a plan that provides more benefits to some Medicaid recipients than to others.