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For the last two months, I've been sitting down with regular Missourians across our state to talk about health care. In living rooms and around kitchen tables, I've heard directly from folks who had their coverage slashed by Matt Blunt in 2005 or who are seeing their premiums skyrocket as a result of those cuts. Watch video from the tour and meet the faces of Matt Blunt's health care cuts. People from all walks of life are hurting because of Matt Blunt's disastrous policies. In total, Gov. Blunt has slashed health care from more than 400,000 Missourians, including seniors, working families, people with disabilities and children. Every Missourian was impacted by the cuts -- because even if you were fortunate enough to keep your health care, your premiums and co-pays have skyrocketed as a result. But it's individual stories, not statistics, that put Missouri's health care crisis in terms we all can understand. At a listening tour stop in Rolla, I heard from Shannon, a 33-year-old from Salem. Shannon worked in construction for years -- until a car accident left him paralyzed from the waist down in 2004. Early in 2005, a physical therapist detected some movement in Shannon's legs. After months of intensive therapy, Shannon could walk in braces. Through hard work and determination, Shannon resolved, he would walk on his own again. Then, Matt Blunt slashed Shannon's health care, including physical therapy. Overnight, he went from making progress and having all the hope in the world to having no therapy and no dream of walking again. In Springfield, a fellow named Richard told me about how he worked for the same company for 20 years but lost his health care -- and his job -- when his employer decided his multiple sclerosis was to expensive to cover. Because of Blunt's cuts, Richard, a single dad, has to raise his three kids and care for his mother on a little more than $900 a month. He's forced to pick and choose each month which medicines to purchase and which doctors to visit, and special therapy and equipment Richard's doctors recommend are entirely out of reach. We've got to remember that Shannon and Richard aren't alone. Because of Matt Blunt's cuts, Missourians are losing health care faster than people in any other state. More than 750,000 of our neighbors, including more than 121,000 children, don't have coverage. I hope you'll check back soon for another update on my statewide health care listening tour. Over the coming weeks and months, I'll be meeting with additional folks across the state. Working together, we can undo the damage Matt Blunt has caused and make Missouri a national leader in health care once again. Sincerely, |
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