The Missouri Medicaid Reform Commission held a special meeting in the Kennett VFW building on Tuesday, October 11. The purpose for the meeting was to allow citizens from Dunklin County and all over the state of Missouri to voice their opinions and concerns with the changes to the state health care program. Commission members who addressed the issues of those who testified are, from left, director for the Department of Health and Senior Services, Julie Eckstein, state Representative Margaret Donnelly, state Senator Rita Heard Days, and state Senator Pat Dougherty. Not pictured, state Representative Yaphett El-Amin. [Click to enlarge]

State Senator Rob Mayer, who represents the 25th Senate District which includes Dunklin and Pemiscot County as well as Stoddard, Butler, and other counties in Missouri, rose to the occasion by immediately writing a letter to the commission chairman, Charlie Shields, asking him to change his mind about holding a meeting in our community.

"After writing the letter, I followed up with a phone call to [Shields] to try to change his mind and told him that I thought it would be beneficial to hold a meeting in at least one place in Southeast Missouri," said Mayer.

Medicaid recipient Debra Melton of Parma, Missouri, left, and her daughter, Kimberly Cochrum, approached the Missouri Medicaid Reform Commission during a special meeting held on Tuesday, October 11. Melton shared her personal experience with the health care program and explained that the dramatic changes being made to Medicaid may cause her to be faced with going without her insulin and additional diabetic supplies that she requires to live. [Click to enlarge]

Following the attempts of Mayer and other community minded individuals, Democratic members of the Medicaid Reform Commission announced they would sponsor a series of three public hearings in Missouri to give citizens from all parts of the state an opportunity to voice their opinions on changes to the state health care program.

Voice their opinions is exactly what many people did when the commission came to Kennett on Tuesday, October 11. Individuals personally affected by the reform, state senators and representatives, business leaders, community minded people, mental health professionals, physicians, and many others were present for the meeting which took place inside the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) building.

Julie Eckstein, director for the Department of Health and Senior Services, state representative Margaret Donnelly, state Senator Rita Heard Days, state Senator Pat Dougherty, and state representative Yaphett El-Amin, all of St. Louis, were the Democrats on the commission who took a seat before the people and listened carefully to what the people testifying had to say in reference to the reform and effects it has and will have on them personally and the community as a whole.

Family Counseling Center representatives, Shawn Sando, left, and Randy Ray, right, made their presence known during the Missouri Medicaid Reform meeting by speaking on behalf of those who suffer serious and persistent mental illnesses. Sando explained to the commission the importance of providing health care to those who desperately need it. He made valid points in reference to the financial difficulties people will endure in terms of being faced with situations in which they cannot afford their required medication and are forced to discontinue use and possibly be hospitalized. [Click to enlarge]

"It is vital that we gather as much information as possible before the commission begins drafting recommendations that could affect access to basic medical care for thousands of Missourians," said Senator Days.

The commission is charged with crafting a new public health care system to replace Medicaid, which will cease to exist in 2007 under a Republican-sponsored bill that became law this year.

"The Bootheel has one of the highest concentrations of Medicaid recipients in Missouri," said Days.

By gathering input from the Bootheel Medicaid users and medical service providers it allows the commission to better understand their needs and perform the task they have been assigned in terms of establishing a system that best serves the region and the state.

Days opened the meeting on Tuesday by thanking everyone for coming out and recognized political officials who came to offer their support and express their concern for the state. Dougherty followed by explaining to those in attendance that they were a crucial part in forming a creative and innovative decision for the new public health care system.

"This is a mutual responsibility to insure that no one is left behind in terms of receiving quality health care they are desperately in need of," said Dougherty.

State representative Margaret Donnelly echoed the other members of the commission by saying that she was pleased to see those present and that their goal is to be certain that everyone that wanted to speak had a chance to do so and that this area in particular represents a portion of Missouri that has been hit hard by the cuts and a complete understanding of the effects and concerns of those affected is extremely important.

Cindy and Julius "Lee" Faucett approached the commission and expressed their concerns with the reform and how it has and will continue to effect the both of them who are Medicaid recipients. Faucett who has been placed on continuous oxygen therapy sat before the commission in tears due to her anxiety and fearfulness of being without the health care she has grown accustomed to and depends on greatly.

"If Medicaid is cut I will not be able to afford my oxygen, the equipment the treatment requires, along with additional medicines that save my life, what will I do," sobbed Faucett.

She and her husband Julius both spoke up about the challenges many are facing due to the cuts and extra expenses they will be faced with due to the reform. Julius, her husband, explained that they are being faced with the decision to continue the medication and treatments that keep them alive, that they cannot afford, or starve to death trying to foot the bill associated with the needed care.

Following a stroke, Julius, has been unable to work and in August he was informed that he would have to pay $269 per month or he will no longer receive his Medicaid coverage.

"I didn't choose to have the stroke which has prevented me from working as I always have done before, if I could work I would, I'm not lazy, but I need this help," said Faucett.

Many others testified to similar accounts of how the reform has devastated their lives and placed them in impossible situations, like Frank Travis, who does work but is the husband of a disabled wife and has three children, one that is mentally retarded and suffers severe heart problems.

Travis spoke with the commission about the crisis he and his family is in because of the reform and cuts being made in the Medicaid program. He has insurance through his employer, however due to his wife and son's pre-existing illnesses, their expenses are not covered. Medicaid is available at a astronomical $595 out of pocket spend down for his wife which will go into effect November 1, 2005. Additional out of pocket premium expenses will be expected for his sons coverage as well which makes it impossible for the husband and father to work, pay the bills, provide food and shelter, and pay the expenses required for the health care his family desperately needs.

Fifty year old Debra Melton of Parma, Missouri and her 18-year-old daughter, Kimberly Cochrum, also added valid points to the trials and tribulations faced by those who are faced with the dramatic changes being made to Medicaid. Melton, who is wheel chair bound, has already been informed that she will not be able to receive assistance in getting much needed glasses for her vision impairment, and will not be provided aid in getting a prosthetic leg. She is also diabetic and fearful of the repercussions of the reform in terms of no longer being able to get her insulin among other medications she must have. Melton literally cried as she spoke to the commission about her concerns.

"Poor people are not making it and they don't realize that we are falling through the cracks," she said.

In addition to those affected by the cuts and the reform, Family Counseling Center of Kennett made an appearance on behalf of those individuals who suffer from mental illnesses. Representative, Shawn Sando, made it very clear that these individuals suffer from serious and persistent mental illnesses and that the average 428 people they currently treat each year are facing an estimated 26 percent monthly out of pocket expense when their average income is a mere $920 per month. Sando asked those in the room who cannot relate to a fixed income to ask themselves if they could sustain a 26 percent hit to their financial state.

"Sick people don't stop being sick because we decide it's not economical," Sando said.

The people who testified made it very clear to the board that this was an abandonment of adults and children and that the devastating effect of limiting access of the much needed health care program will result in people dying.

The information, opinions, and deep concerns provided to the commission will be taken to Jefferson City and considered when developing recommendations that will effect the current status of Medicaid as Missourians know it.