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The Governor's Committee to End Homelessness says Medicaid cuts could increase the number of homeless people.

November 14, 2005
By: Kelly Snyder
State Capital Bureau

The Governor's Committee to End Homelessness says Medicaid cuts could increase the number of homeless people in St. Louis and across Missouri.

Kelly Snyder tells us what the committee has found.

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There are approximately 17 hundred homeless people in St. Louis and more than 26 thousand throughout the state.

Committee to End Homelessness Chairperson Liz Hagar-Mace says Blunt's Medicaid cuts could drive Missouri's poor into homelessness.

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Contents: One of the biggest issues in people about to lose their housing is the fact that they have had a major illness and can no longer pay their rent. They've opted to pay for their healthcare instead.

The Governor's Spokesperson Spence Jackson says he doesn't think the Medicaid cuts will affect the number of homeless people in Missouri.

He says Missouri still has a generous welfare system.

From the State Capitol, I'm Kelly Snyder.

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The Governor's Committee to End Homelessness says the number of homeless people in Missouri could increase because of Medicaid cuts.

Kelly Snyder has more on the committee's findings.

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Missouri has more than 26 thousand homeless people throughout the state.

There are approximately 17 hundred in the St. Louis area.

The Governor's Spokesperson Spence Jackson says he doesn't think the Medicaid cuts will change the number of homeless people in Missouri.

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Contents: I would say that we've still got a very generous social welfare system for those who are in need. We've got a welfare system that covers nearly one million of our state's five million residents. It's a program that taxpayers have generously funded for many years.I think that there's a safety net, it's meant to be a safety net.

Committee to End Homelessness Chairperson Liz Hager-Mace says some people can no longer afford housing because they have to pay for their healthcare instead.

From the state Capitol, I'm Kelly Snyder.

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The Governor's Committee to End Homelessness says an increasing number of homeless people in St. Louis and across the state could be due to Medicaid cuts.

Kelly Snyder tells us more about the committee's findings.

Story:
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There are approximately 17 hundred homeless people in the St. Louis area and more than 26 thousand statewide.

Committee to End Homelessness Chairperson Liz Hagar-Mace says the Medicaid cuts could cause the poor to become homeless.

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Contents: What happens if people don't have access to healthcare, they have a major illness, they end up spending what disposable income they have to get the healthcare and the life-saving medications they need, then they don't have the money to pay rent.

The Governor's Spokesperson Spence Jackson says Missouri's welfare system is still generous.

He doesn't think Medicaid cuts change the number of homeless people in Missouri.

From the state Capitol, I'm Kelly Snyder.