Health care reform has been a hot issue.
The federal government took steps towards reforming the health care system with the passage of the Kennedy-Kassabaum Act in August.
Now, Missouri legislators must decide whether or not the federal health insurance mandate will have a significant impact on the citizens of Missouri. Denise Jackson has the story from the state capitol.
Columbia nurse Ruth Eichelberger testified before a House committee in support of one of several bills that could help implement the Federal Kennedy-Kassebaum Act.
A nervous Eichelberger talked about her mother . . . who has diabetes and suffers from seizures.. .inability to pay for her insurance.
Eichelberger told lawmakers to enforce the federal health insurance mandate because so many citizens will be afffected by their decision.
The health insurance mandate would help people like Eichelberger's mother, who have a condition such as diabetes, obtain insurance.
Also, certain workers who lose their jobs won't be dropped from their insurance policy.
St. Louis County representative Laurie Donovan says she wants legislators to act quickly on this matter.
Donovan supports a bill sponsored by Republican representative Mark Elliott.
Elliott said his bill was the most reasonable, least cost-effective and it met the minimum requirements of the federal mandate.
But Elliott predicted Missouri lawmakers will not pass any bill on this issue.
In Elliott's bill, insurance companies would need to pick up the cost of insuring unhealthy people.
Columbia representative Chuck Graham said he didn't think insurance companies would do this.
Graham said each bill needed work before any bill would leave the house committee and he said he didn't see himself supporting any of the bills in their current state.
In the meantime there's less than two months left in the 1997 legislative session.
From the State Capitol, I'm Denise Jackson