Medicaid
In 2005, Missouri made substantial changes to the Medicaid system. The program evolved into Missouri Healthnet last year, but voters at the panel were still concerned with the state of Medicaid in Missouri. “In 2004-05 Medicaid expenditures outpaced education expenditures in Missouri. It was a serious concern,” Grisamore said.
Grisamore said in order to fight for education and protect education in the Lee’s Summit area, the General Assembly had to make some cuts in Medicaid.
“One area I did not agree with was the depth of the Medicaid cuts as they affected our most vulnerable citizens — children, seniors and those with disabilities,” Grisamore said.
But Grisamore said the new Missouri Healthnet is offering greater efficiencies and savings since it was enacted. “A lot has been done, but there is a lot more that needs to be done,” he said. “We need to reduce fraud, misuse and abuse and make sure our most vulnerable citizens are covered.”
Grisamore’s opponent, Norbury, said its not all about user fraud, there is provider fraud that goes on too. “Doctors abuse the system too,” Norbury said. “There was no venture enacted to reduce provider fraud.” Additionally, Norbury said Medicaid needs incentives for people to improve their health. “We need to incentivize people to be healthy — as opposed to not sick,” he said.
Kraus said Missouri needs to cut growth by looking at ways to make healthcare more efficient, which would reduce the cost overall and make sure everyone gets re-certified for Medicaid.
“As people learn the system, they’ll find ways to get around it,” Kraus said. “So we need to keep changing the system.”
Yates said the key to Medicaid reformation is helping its recipients “take ownership for their well-being.” “Why should my taxes pay for the full-coverage of smokers,” Yates said. “We need to be encouraging and educating people to make choices and lead a healthier life.”
Yates also said the use of technology would increase the efficiency in the state’s healthcare system. The new Missouri Healthnet is an entirely Web-based system.
LeVota, the current minority leader of the Missouri House, said the state needs to reinstate the cuts of 2005. “We were in a deficit, but other states focused on coverage. Missouri made cuts,” LeVota said. “Now supposedly there is a surplus. Well that $600 million in surplus is on the backs of the sick.”
LeVota also proposed creating a healthcare policy board and making sure children are insured.
“They are the least expensive to cover and it’s a lot less expensive in the long run and it’s the right thing to do,” he said.
Education
LeVota said in the state government funds for education and healthcare are often competing. But he said it doesn’t have to be an either-or decision.
“We can figure out a way to have great education and great healthcare,” LeVota said. Norbury said funding education is a question of priority.
“We have to want to fund both,” he said. “So let’s focus on the future, which is our children, and have good education and good healthcare.”
But Yates, Kraus and Grisamore said the key to quality education is not all about money. “Look at the Kansas City School District,” Yates said. “We’ve poured money in there and still have gotten no results.”
Yates said the state needs to look at the funding formula, because the current one is unfair to performing districts like Lee’s Summit. “We fund those who do not perform and do not pay their fair share and they have an incentive to remain the same,” Yates said.
Kraus said he proposed a bill last session that would have put term limits on school board members of failing school districts.
“Money is not always the solution for results,” he said.
Grisamore said the state needs to give more credit to growing and performing districts like Lee’s Summit and not penalize them.
“We need to encourage parental involvement. We need to give incentives to teachers. We need to do everything we can to back-up our teachers and our school districts,” Grisamore said.
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