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Legislature approves health care cuts to 90,000 Missourians

May 5, 2005
By: Victor Roberto
State Capital Bureau
Links: HB 10, HB 11

90,000 Missourians are just a governor's signature away from losing their health care.

Victor Roberto has more from the state Capitol.

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90,000 people will feel the effects of budget cuts in Missouri if Governor Blunt signs the bill.

Those 90,000 people will lose their health insurance because the state doesn't have enough money for the Medicaid program.

The House and Senate accepted changes a joint committee made to the program.

Rep. Allen Icet, a Republican from St. Louis County, says the cuts will not be as devastating as some lawmakers say.

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Contents: It's risen to the level of what I would call 'hyperbolic hooey' where cases are made of people dying in the streets, which is just beyond belief.

Democrats say it's unfair for the state to balance the budget at the expense of people who need health insurance most.

From the state Capitol, I'm Victor Roberto.

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If the governor signs the bill, 90,000 Missourians will be kicked off Medicaid.

Victor Roberto has more from the state Capitol.

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Lawmakers are leaving 90,000 Missourians in the wake of the newly balanced budget.

The Missouri Senate and House have reached a final agreement on the state's 19 billion-dollar budget.

It's now up to Gov. Matt Blunt to decide whether to finalize the cuts to those 90,000 people.

Rep. Brad Lager, the Republican Budget Committee Chair, says the state had to decide who needed health care the most.

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Contents: We are still doing many great things for the people of this state. Many of us want to do more. We all acknowledge it; we all respect it. But at the end of the day, we can only take care of those who most need it.

Democrats say those 90,000 people can't get health care anywhere else, and that it's unfair to take it away.

From the state Capitol, I'm Victor Roberto.