Thousands of Missourians could lose Medicaid coverage under proposed changes
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - Health clinics are concerned that patients will no longer receive care if Medicaid benefits are cut.
Congress could soon vote on a bill that would make sweeping changes to Medicaid. In Missouri alone, 1.3 million people use Medicaid.
KC CARE Health Center serves about 20,000 people in and around Kansas City, Missouri, most of them on Medicaid. Wil Franklin says many of his patients at KC CARE Health Center work multiple jobs just to get by. Without Medicaid, though, those patients would not be able to see Franklin or the other caregivers at KC CARE.
“We’re keeping people at work, we’re keeping kids in school, and we’re making sure that our patients are well cared for, not only that, but the services that we provide,” Franklin said.
A bill being debated by Congress would decrease federal Medicaid contributions by $700 billion. Missouri could lose about $584 million for Medicaid patients. Part of the plan would require beneficiaries to have a job. Estimates from the Urban Institute and the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities show that about 90,000 Missourians could lose Medicaid benefits under new requirements.
“Medicaid serves as a stabilizing force for entire communities when it’s cut, the consequences show up everywhere from overcrowded ERs to delayed treatment and preventable illness,” said Democratic Missouri Congressman Wesley Bell.
Bell shared that a Missouri Delegation of Republicans and Democrats has been discussing possible impacts of Medicaid cuts.
“I can’t read their thoughts, but I’m encouraged by the comments that I’ve heard that they don’t want to see anything happen to Medicaid,” Bell said. “But what I was told a long time ago is, your politics is your voting record, and so we’ll find out where folks stand.”
Missouri’s lawmakers from both parties have spoken out against cuts; just last week, Sen. Josh Hawley went on record saying he wants to protect Medicaid for working families, and earlier this year, he said he won’t vote for anything that cuts Medicaid.
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