By Kelley Weiss
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kcur/local-kcur-662019.mp3
Kansas City, MO – Missouri Governor Matt Blunt wants lawmakers to increase funding for doctors treating Medicaid patients. KCUR's Kelley Weiss reports.
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Gov. Blunt is asking for more than $50 million to raise reimbursement rates for doctors who treat low-income Medicaid patients. Last year Blunt increased funding for the new Medicaid program, Missouri HealthNet, that boosted doctors' reimbursement rates to pay for more than half of the costs of treatment. This year he will ask to raise the rate to 65 percent.
Press secretary, Jessica Robinson, says this will help patients get to the doctor.
Jessica Robinson: "Among the governor's funding priorities, of course, is providing access to health care coverage for our state's most vulnerable citizens."
Robinson says the legislature still has to approve the governor's funding request.
Funding for health care coverage on KCUR has been provided by the Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City.
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