Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Video: Blunt's Springfield News Conference

Governor Matt Blunt was in Springfield this morning, touting $10.5 million new dollars for the Jordan Valley Clinic.

The Governor was here to announce more money for federally qualified healthcare centers and how that fits into his new Medicaid plan.

You can watch video of the Q&A with Blunt HERE. We talk to him about the new Medicaid system, a possible referendum on MOHELA and his disappointments with the 2007 legislative session.

Highlights:

On How Medicaid Will Help People Beyond Prevention . . . Expanding chronic care improvement program, expanding diseases included (diabetes). "The ultimate goal is for anybody with a chronic illness to have access to the chronic care improvement plan."

On How Much $$ Will Be Saved . . . "We end up spending some money beyond just the normal growth of the program." $48 million in enhancements. Some upfront costs. Chronic care improvement has already seen savings. "I think you'll see better outcomes very quickly."

On The Number of People New Medicaid Will Cover . . . "Right now 823,000 covered by Medicaid. Under Missouri HealthNet with the additions, it will be clearly over 900,000."

Biggest Disappointment of the Session . . ."I was for House Joint Resolution Number 1."

On Why New Medicaid Is Better Than Old Medicaid . . . "If you were to ask people do you want a healthcare system that allows you to see a doctor, and have primary care visits, and try to help you identify pharmaceutical needs and develop a plan of care, I think people would say that's the kind of system they want."

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