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Senate committee passes Medicaid cuts bill

March 10, 2005
By: Victor Roberto
State Capital Bureau
Links: SB 539

The Missouri Senate has come one step closer to cutting more people off Medicaid.

Victor Roberto has more from the state Capitol.

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A Senate committee quickly and quietly passed a bill to reduce health care for more than 20 thousand Missourians...permanently.

They voted, after no changes or debate, to pass a bill cutting tens of thousands of Missourians off Medicaid.

St. Louis City Democratic Senator Pat Dougherty says the state's actions are not solving the financial crisis.

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Contents: Somebody's going to play God. And that's really what this bill is going to end up doing...and I don't know that we want to do that.

Southern Missouri Republican Senator Chuck Purgason says Medicaid is not providing services to those who truly need them.

He says tough choices are needed because the system wasn't properly designed from the beginning.

From the state Capitol, I'm Victor Roberto.

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Medicaid cuts are one step closer to reality for Missourians.

Victor Roberto has more from the state Capitol.

Story:
RunTime:
OutCue: SOC

A Senate committee passed legislation allowing permanent Medicaid cuts.

More than 20 thousand Missourians would be affected...if the legislature approves the bill.

The committee passed the bill in a quick hearing without debate.

They also made no changes in the bill before sending it to the full Senate.

Southern Missouri Republican Senator Chuck Purgason says the current system does not effectively serve Missourians.

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Contents: What I see under the system now is we do a great job of printing them cards, but they're still not able to access the medical care that they're needing.

Senate Democrats say the cuts are not a good solution to the state's fiscal crisis.

From the state Capitol, I'm Victor Roberto.

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Medicaid cuts took a couple steps forward in Missouri's legislature.

Victor Roberto has more from the state Capitol.

Story:
RunTime:
OutCue: SOC

A Senate committee approved a bill to cut more than 20 thousand Missourians off Medicaid.

If the legislation passes the Missouri legislature, the cuts would be permanent.

St. Louis City Senator Pat Dougherty says Republicans are using the state's fiscal crisis as an excuse to cut Medicaid.

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Contents: They're using that as an excuse to throw 30 thousand of their fellow men and women-some of them elderly, some of them not-off of health care.

Southern Missouri Republican Senator Chuck Purgason says the cuts are necessary because the program was poorly designed.

From the state Capitol, I'm Victor Roberto.