single payer update for Missouri

 

I just got some spectacular news late last night, and we need to jump right in. If you are able to, please try to block out your day on this Wednesday May 2 so a bunch of us go to Jefferson City and testify in favor of active legislation to establish a state-wide single payer plan in Missouri.

MO HB1405 is very similar to the national HR676 that we’ve been talking about, except on a state basis. MO HB1405 would establish the MO Universal Health Assurance Program, a publicly financed privately delivered statewide program comprehensively providing all necessary medical, preventive, dental, and mental health programs for MO residents.

Delivery of healthcare services would remain privatized and reimbursed based upon Medicare guidelines. As in HR676, other insurers may not duplicate the services offered by the program. It’s financed through the state income tax structure.

This is very much like the set of assumptions built into the analysis done by the Missouri Foundation for Health in 2003 (http://www.mffh.org/mm/files/ShowMe3a.pdf), which estimated that the state would save well over $1 billion per year with such a strategy. The bill isn’t perfect, none are, but it would be a great step forward.

Here's a link to the legislation and its summary:

http://www.house.mo.gov/billsummary.aspx?bill=HB1405&year=2012&code=R

The bill will have a public hearing in the House Committee on Health Care Policy on Wednesday May 2 at noon in Jeff City. It’s been several years since it reach a committee hearing, and kudos to Missourians for Single Payer, and Mimi Signor, for keeping the legislation active. MOSP has asked PNHP to come to Jeff City and speak in support. The more of us, frankly, the better.

Will it pass in 2012? Extremely unlikely. But as you remember, Canada got their national health care program only after several states started their own first.

We need to make a significant show of physician support for the bill. I understand many of you have clinical commitments right then and simply cannot juggle this much this quickly, but if there is any way you can, please do so.

Let me know if you’re interested and able to juggle your life like this at the last minute; I’ll set up a carpool. Also, if you’re interested, let me know and we can get together this Monday night April 30 at 6:30 at my house in Olivette and just talk through more about the state legislation and what testifying in a committee is like. Bottom line – it’s really fun.