Missouri's Medicaid Cuts

Nancy Valko quotes the Post of 31 Aug 05:

"Feeding tubes and nutritional formula aren't optional for thousands of Missourians with severe brain damage or disabilities. Without them, people can't eat.

"But beginning tomorrow, Missouri Medicaid no longer will pay for them. Nor will it pay for breathing machines for people with respiratory failure; for canes, crutches and walkers; for cushions to prevent life-threatening bedsores; or for wheelchair batteries. . . .

"Patients who are losing feeding tubes and other equipment have been told they can file appeals. As of last Wednesday, 1,048 people had filed appeals. Of the 427 appeal hearings held, the patient lost in 396 of them."

Stephen Drake, research analyst for Not Dead Yet, has said: "People on the right are killing us slowly with cuts to the budget and Medicaid while people on the left kill us quickly and call it 'compassion' - either way we end up dead - AND WE OBJECT."