Preserving Medicaid Coverage for Children

As legislators, we have the responsibility to prioritize the many programs that we are asked to fund, and insuring low-income children is one of the most important long-term investments our state can make.

Currently, children in Missouri are eligible for Medicaid if their families’ income falls below 300% of the federal poverty level (FPL), though families between 150% and 300% FPL pay a premium.

At a recent Interim Committee on Medicaid Transformation hearing, the committee heard a proposal that would have removed some children from Medicaid by lowering the income cap while adding more able-bodied adults to the program.

Rep. Jay Barnes discussed requiring some families whose children currently receive Medicaid to purchase their own plans through the federal health insurance exchange.

I am strongly in favor of keeping the income limit at 300% FPL for children. In its story about the hearing, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch quoted me as saying, “I would much rather protect and do what’s right for children, who are not signing up for cable (television)… and using resources that could be used for insurance.”

Unfortunately, this article was not entirely accurate and only included a snippet of the quote with very little context.

During the hearing, I argued that since children have no control over how their families’ resources are spent, the state should ensure that they are protected and insured.

After years of providing in-home physical therapy services to children throughout St. Louis City and County, I understand the lasting impact that comprehensive healthcare services can have on children’s lives.

I have also witnessed homes where families had two or three colored televisions with cable yet did not prioritize purchasing health insurance coverage. The reference to cable television was an example of this kind of situation.

Protecting the truly vulnerable in our state should be the foremost goal of any Medicaid reform package. We simply cannot strip coverage from Missouri’s children to fund free healthcare for able-bodied adults.