JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Thousands of Missourians have voiced support for expanded health insurance coverage through Insure Missouri since January. Today, their message is being delivered directly to state lawmakers.
In advance of today’s hearing on the Insure Missouri proposal in the Missouri Senate, more than 6,150 cards and 400 e-mails in support of the initiative were delivered to legislators’ offices. The delivery highlights Missourians’ support for expanding health insurance access to the state’s low-income, uninsured workers and the disabled.
“Missourians have expressed deep concern for the problem of the uninsured,” said Marc D. Smith, MHA president. “Today, we’re helping connect advocates with their elected leaders to reinforce their message: Insure Missouri is the right plan, and now is the right time.”
Cards from nearly 1,800 residents of the St. Louis area were delivered to lawmakers in Jefferson City. In addition, many Missourians have contacted their legislators through MHA’s Web site since January. These grassroots supporters have indicated their desire to have the legislature address expanded access to health insurance this session.
Currently, more than 719,000 Missourians have no health insurance. Most of these individuals are working adults who do not have employer-sponsored health plans or the ability to afford coverage in the marketplace. Insure Missouri, if fully implemented, would extend health insurance to more than 200,000 individuals earning less than $38,203 for a family of four.
Numerous studies link health insurance coverage with individual wellness. A recent report from the American Cancer Society found the uninsured are less likely to pursue recommended screenings. When they are diagnosed, their cancer is more likely to have spread. The study also found uninsured cancer patients are 1.6 times more likely to die within five years as those with private insurance.
The uninsured also are much less likely to have access to primary care and are more likely to forego care for illnesses and chronic conditions. However, when the uninsured seek care, it is often in a hospital emergency department, which leads to increased systemwide costs, inefficient care management and poorer health outcomes.
“We have a real chance to bring needed relief to uninsured, working Missourians this session,” Smith said. “The public understands the need for action, and lawmakers have the plan in Insure Missouri.”
For more information about MHA’s outreach effort, including stories from Missourians without access to health insurance, visit www.myhealthcarematters.org.
The Missouri Hospital Association is a not-for-profit association in Jefferson City that represents 151 Missouri hospitals. In addition to representation and advocacy on behalf of its membership, the association offers continuing education programs on current health care topics and seeks to educate the public, as well as legislative representatives, about health care issues.
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