By Marshall Griffin, KWMU
Jefferson City, MO – The Missouri Senate has given first-round approval to an omnibus health care bill that includes a revised version of Governor Matt Blunt's Insure Missouri program.
The governor's original plan was to have taken effect last month and would have provided health coverage to about 54,000 low-income working parents.
State Senator Tom Dempsey (R, St. Peters) says this version would cover the same number of people, but would also require some participants to pay part of the cost.
"For custodial parents below 100% there's no contributions, they receive the benefits of the plan...other adults under 100% would have a 1% contribution...that would equate to about $7 a month," Dempsey said.
Some recipients would pay up to $1,000 a year, or just over $83 per month.
A number of Democrats also support the bill, but some are disappointed that more efforts weren't made to restore Medicaid benefits cut by Governor Blunt three years ago.
State Senator Jeff Smith (D, St. Louis) is pleased with the bill's efforts at promoting wellness and prevention, but says it could have gone farther.
"About 400,000 people have seen their services reduced in some fashion, or completely lost their health insurance or dental coverage...I would prefer that instead of just putting back on 54,000 people and some of the healthier and most able people, that we focused on the disabled, the elderly," Smith said.
Smith also said he hasn't decided yet whether he'll vote for or against the bill when it's taken up for final passage, which could happen as early as tomorrow.
The legislation would also authorize a report to the governor and legislature on constructing state office buildings in a way that promotes healthy lifestyles.