Medicaid expansion in the
budget v. SB 306
Included in
the budget passed by the Senate is an expansion of Medicaid for
parents up to 50% FPL at no cost to the state. The expansion will be
funded by Missouri hospitals who voluntarily taxed themselves in
an effort to get more people enrolled in Medicaid. Also included in the
budget is contingency language in the event that SB 306,
sponsored by Senator Tom Dempsey (R-St. Charles) passes. SB 306 is a proposal to
cover both parents and non-parents through the private insurance
industry. The bill
will cover parents up to 50% of FPL and also includes provisions
to cover other adults at various levels of poverty through
Health Savings Accounts.
Click here for the bill
summary.
In 2005,
when Medicaid for parents was cut by the General Assembly, over
70,000 children also dropped from SCHIP. As such, Partnership for
Children supports Medicaid expansion for parents as a strategy
to reach out to eligible, but not yet enrolled children in
SCHIP.
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Faith leaders rally for
healthcare
On Thursday of last week, hundreds of faith
leaders from across the state rallied at the capitol to
push for healthcare reform and to support
providing health coverage for all children. Starting at 10:00 a.m.
the leaders heard from a number of advocates, including PFC,
about how they can help bring about
change to our healthcare system. The group then dispersed
throughout the capitol to meet with
lawmakers before coming together at a rally in the
Rotunda and a gathering in front of Governor Nixon’s
office. A widely
successful event, PFC will continue to work with the faith
community to help provide health insurance for all of
Missouri’s children.
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Can I get a witness? PFC
Testifies
-Omnibus Education Bill (SB 291)
The House
Elementary and Secondary Education Committee heard testimony on
the Senate’s omnibus education bill, SB 291 sponsored by
Sen. Shields, last Wednesday. The original bill related solely
to virtual schools, but was amended during Senate debate to
include dozens more education
provisions.
Expecting
that the bill will see many more revisions as it advances
through the House, Partnership for Children testified in favor
of keeping several priority education pieces in the bill,
including: a P-20 Council to coordinate education from pre-k
through college; a Persistence to Graduation Fund to address
drop-out prevention; a Foster Care Education Bill of Rights; and
enhanced physical education requirements for Missouri’s
youth.
The House
committee is set to consider removing and adding provisions to
the bill during an executive session this Wed, April 22nd.
Partnership for Children is also hopeful that the Quality Rating
System language will be added to the Omnibus Education Bill in
committee.
-Healthy Food at School (HB
900 & 901)
Last week,
Partnership for Children testified in support of House Bills 900
and 901, both aimed at making food in schools healthier. Both sponsored by Rep.
Steve Brown (D-Kansas City), HB 900 requires school meals to
derive no more than 30% of their calories from fat and to limit
saturated fat to less than 10% of the calories during a school
day. HB 901
establishes minimum nutritional standards for food and beverages
sold or provided to students during the school
day.
-Educational Rights for Foster Children
(SB 96)
SB 96,
sponsored by Sen. Jolie Justus (D-Kansas City) was presented in
the House Committee on Children and Families last week. PFC testified in support
of the bill that passed out of the Senate several weeks ago that
establishes the "Foster Care Education Bill of Rights." The original piece of
legislation requires each school district to designate a staff
person to be an educational liaison for foster care children.
This liaison would assist with proper educational placements,
transferring between schools, ensuring transfer of grades and
credits, requesting school records, and submitting school
records that have been requested. Just before the bill was presented, a draft
of a substitute bill was presented by the committee chair that
vastly expands the purpose of the bill to include several other
child welfare provisions.
PFC will continue to monitor the progress of SB 96,
supporting the sponsor’s original intent to support the
educational opportunities of foster
children.
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Update on Children’s Bills of
Interest
