Restoration of health insurance still pending
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Restoration of health insurance still pending

Date: April 22, 2008
By: Rebecca Layne
State Capitol Bureau
Links: SB 1283

Intro: The Senate debated a measure that supporters say would give health care coverage to more than 200,000 people, but some Senate Democrats say it doesn't go far enough. Rebecca Layne has more from Jefferson City. RunTime:0:39
OutCue: SOC

Senate Democrats say they want full restoration of health care coverage for the nearly 400,000 people who either lost it or had benefits reduced in 2005.

Democratic Senator Joan Bray says the bill does not live up to its obligation to these people.

 

Actuality:  BRAY2.WAV
Run Time: 00:18
Description: This general assembly, this governor, pulled the rug out from a lot of people in 2005 on their health care. I think we have a moral obligation to those poor people who are economically underprivileged to do something for their health care, and this plan doesn't do it.
 
Over 90,000 people were completely cut off from health care coverage in 2005.
 
Reporting from Jefferson City, I'm Rebecca Layne.


Intro: The Senate debated a bill that would provide health care coverage to over 200,000 people over three years. However, it would fail to restore coverage to the 90,000 people who were cut in 2005. Rebecca Layne has more from Jefferson City. RunTime:0:34
OutCue: SOC

Democratic Senators debated for hours over the inability of the bill to restore coverage to those who were cut in 2005.

The Republican Senator Tom Dempsey had this to say about the objective of his bill:

 

Actuality:  DEMPSEY1.WAV
Run Time: 00:10
Description: We're trying to provide insurance for the working poor who make too much to qualify for HealthNet and who do not have access to insurance through their employer. 


Republican Senators say the cost of full restoration to the over 400,000 affected by the 2005 health cuts would be too high.

Reporting from Jefferson City, I'm Rebecca Layne.