Tagged: health care

Jefferson City, MO – Union leaders in Missouri are not happy with a new health insurance plan for state employees. It replaces the current co-pay system with one that requires state workers to pay deductibles. Richard von Glahn is with the Missouri State Workers Union.

"We are frustrated because state employees are gonna be faced with higher out-of-pocket health care costs the Missouri legislature continues to choose policies that balance our revenue crisis on the backs of state workers," says von Glahn.

By KCUR News / Associated Press

Jefferson City, MO – The people who challenged a Missouri ballot measure on health care have decided not to appeal a judge's decision dismissing their lawsuit. Attorney Chip Gentry says his clients don't plan to take the case to the Missouri Supreme Court.

Last week a circuit court judge rejected a lawsuit seeking to strike the proposal from the Aug. 3rd ballot. The lawsuit claimed legislators violated the state constitution in the way they drafted the measure.

Kansas City, MO – The U.S Department of Health and Human Services gave final approval yesterday to Missouri's new high risk insurance pool. The decision means a new coverage option is now available for Missourians with pre-existing conditions.

The Missouri Department of Insurance says it will start taking applications today for the pool. Travis Ford is with the department and says eligibility requirements are pretty simple.

By Jacob McCleland, KRCU

Cape Girardeau, MO – Missouri Lt. Governor Peter Kinder filed a personal legal challenge to the federal health care overhaul law today in Cape Girardeau.

The state of Missouri is not suing the federal government. Rather, Kinder is bringing the lawsuit as a private citizen and in his capacity as Lieutenant Governor. He is relying on private donors to fund the challenge, though he did not specify his contributors.

Jefferson City, MO – A lawsuit has been filed in Jefferson City that's designed to stop the August 3rd referendum on Missouri's participation in the new national health care law. The referendum was approved by the Missouri House and Senate this year, and it states that citizens cannot be forced to buy health insurance against their will.

Kansas City, MO – Psychologists, in-home care providers for the disabled, and drug abuse counselors in Missouri are facing a two percent payment reduction from the state. Last week, Governor Jay Nixon announced the move as part of a response to declining revenues.

Alan Flory is head of Rediscover, a community mental health center in Jackson County. He says there's no simple answer to the state's fiscal situation, but he says the reduction now means Rediscover will have less ability to respond to people in need of immediate help.

Kansas City, MO – Some major changes are coming to the U.S. health care system. For one, the health care overhaul passed by congress this year is supposed to expand coverage. But for immigrants trying to access health care in Kansas City and around the country, big obstacles remain.

By Jennifer Moore, KSMU

Springfield, Missouri – For families of children with Autism Spectrum Disorders, it's been a long time coming. Missouri Governor Jay Nixon has signed into law a bill that requires insurance companies regulated by the state to provide coverage to children with autism. KSMU's Jennifer Moore attended the bill-signing press conference in Springfield yesterday and has this report.