Blunt Makes Devastating Health Care Cuts Permanent, Takes Missouri Further in Wrong Direction
subscribeJuly 2, 2007
JEFFERSON CITY, MO – Today Gov. Matt Blunt signed legislation to end Medicaid in Missouri and make his devastating health care cuts of two years ago permanent. After the Governor signed the bill into law, Attorney General Jay Nixon released the following statement:
"Two years ago, Gov. Blunt moved our state in the wrong direction when he slashed the health care of more than 400,000 Missourians, including 55,000 children. Missourians who were fortunate enough to still have health insurance saw their premiums and co-pays skyrocket as a result. Today, the Governor compounded the mistake he made two years ago by making those devastating health care cuts permanent.
"In addition to slashing health care from hundreds of thousands of citizens, Gov. Blunt has also turned down more than $1 billion federal dollars which would have directly helped Missourians in need of care. At a time when so many Missourians lack affordable, quality health care, our taxpayer dollars should not be going to other states to insure their citizens. We need that money right here in Missouri.
"The most disturbing part of this crisis is that we have the money available to restore coverage to the Missourians affected by the cuts. Gov. Blunt just has the wrong priorities."
Some news coverage of the signing: