[Nfbmo] [MALWARE FREE]Blind Missouri residents following budget debate (fromSpringfield News Leader)

[Horchem Gary]

Blind Missouri residents following budget debateFunds for health care
services are at stake Vivian Marshall, 78, is blind and receives a
monthly pension of $707 from the state, as well as health care
coverage.Marshall, who lost her eyesight to a retinal disease, would
experience a reduction in that medical coverage under a budget proposal
supported by the Missouri House. She would keep it under a proposal
supported by the Senate.“Financially it would be terrible,” said
Marshall, who would still have coverage but would have to pay extra
medical expenses.Marshall and other blind Springfield residents have
traveled to Jefferson City and Columbia to lobby lawmakers to continue
their coverage. The $28 million program covers about 2,858 blind
Missouri residents whose individual annual income of more than $9,495
would otherwise be too high for them to qualify for Medicaid.They had
turned to state Rep. Sara Lampe, D-Springfield, the ranking Democrat on
the House Budget Committee. But Lampe said she was told Wednesday that
she won’t be included on the committee of House and Senate members that
is expected to come up with a compromise budget.Lampe said House Speaker
Steven Tilley told her she wouldn’t be included because she wouldn’t
support cutting the health care coverage.“He said, ‘Are you going to
vote the House position?’” Lampe said. “I said, ‘No.’ He said, ‘Well,
you’re not on the committee.’”David Willis, Tilley’s chief of staff,
said Lampe will be on the conference committee for 11 of the 13 bills
involved in the budget but not likely on the one that deals with health
care coverage for the blind.“That’s the standard procedure,” Willis
said. “That’s the way the budget has always been done. The House has
already taken a position on that issue. We need people on the conference
committee who can support the House.”Chris Gray, the executive director
of the Missouri Council of the Blind, said reducing the coverage would
push some people into nursing homes and increase visits to hospital
emergency rooms.“Their income puts them just above the Medicaid
threshold,” Gray said. “Missouri has always helped them.”Gov. Jay Nixon
has supported the program.“For decades, Missouri has provided this
efficient and compassionate program that offers essential health care
services for blind Missourians with very limited financial means,” Nixon
said Wednesday. “I urge the General Assembly to send me a budget that
maintains full funding for this vital lifeline.”Marshall said she lost
her eyesight gradually to a retinal disease. For years, she was in a
research program that was testing a medication.She lives independently
but, like many blind people, has added expenses such as transportation
and household help. Some of the blind people in the Springfield area
turn to area food pantries.Marshall has been closely following the
General Assembly’s deliberations on her health care program.“If it isn’t
left like it is, it’s going to be really hard on a whole lot of people,”
Marshall said.
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