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Missouri's Governor Matt Blunt says he supports the Senate and its support of a provision that would end the Medicaid program in 2008. KSMU's Missy Shelton reports.
The senate voted Tuesday 22 to 10 for an amendment that ends the Medicaid program in 2008.
The provision, which is part of a larger Medicaid bill also would create a commission to study the state-funded healthcare system and recommend a new program.
Governor Matt Blunt says that's a reasonable approach.
But some democrats and social welfare advocates say the Senate and Governor are going too far in recommending cuts and even the elimination of the program.
Amy Blouin is the Executive Director of the Missouri Budget Project.
Blouin's organization is funded in part by the healthcare industry.
She says the Missouri Budget Project is advocating a series of tax increases that they say would help offset the need for Medicaid cuts.
But Republican lawmakers and Governor Matt Blunt say raising taxes isn't an option.
When asked what he'd tell the one million people on Medicaid about the Senate's vote to end Medicaid, Blunt had this to say.
And Blunt contends that new program will be better than the current Medicaid program because he says it will provide quality care to the state's neediest citizens.
But Democrats and social welfare advocates say ending Medicaid goes too far and will, in the long run, create more healthcare costs for the state and consumers.
