The McKinsey Report – The state of Missouri paid $2.7 Million dollars for an independent study which makes recommendations for streamlining the state’s Medicaid program.
The report was released in early 2019.
Without making any recommendations to tighten eligibility rules, the report does make recommendations that would save Missouri tax payers nearly $1 billion over the course of four years.
This study was put into action by Former Governor Greiten’s administration in order to control and reign in rising costs associated with Medicaid.
From what I understand, none of the recommendations made by the report have been implemented or overseen by the state legislature.
SB1 The Federal Reimbursement Allowance, or FRA, is brought up each year as part of the budget process. It is basically a tax on Missouri hospitals which the state uses to receive federal matching dollars to help cover the costs associated with Medicaid programs and administration.
It is already illegal for tax dollars to be spent on a number of abortion devices. Earlier this week while the Senate was debating the renewal of the FRA, Senator Paul Weiland introduced an amendment that would add to that list:
“Any drug or device approved by the federal Food and drug Administration that may cause the destruction of, or prevent the implantation of, an unborn child, as defined in section 188.015.”
Only two Republicans voted no with the democrats – Senators Hageman and Hough. The amendment passed but was then laid over on the informal calendar where many bills go to die. The FRA needs to pass or the entire program would be in danger of collapse.
This might give some conservatives some leverage to get some of the reform issues from the McKinsey report brought to the front of the discussion.
There has to be legislative approval for the FRA on a yearly basis.
The state spent $2.7 million dollars of taxpayer money for a study that clearly demonstrates ways to become more cost efficient without cutting corners but still there is resistance from the legislature for long overdue reforms that grow increasingly important for the financial health of the Medicaid system year after year.
Still though, I’m told that some senators want to only revisit the FRA every 5 years. You would think that with the growing financial complexity and precariousness of the Medicaid program members of the senate would want to make it more efficient and accountable but apparently some want to revisit the issue every five years.
That means that some senators might only ever have oversight once in their tenure and some never at all.
RUMOR HAS IT… Speaking of Senator Hough – the rumor is that he might have a tough primary on his hands in 2022. It is just a rumor right now but I do know that there is a deeper interest in the 2022 election cycle by men and women of means hoping to see the senate actually take up some conservative policy.
Former Governor Eric Greitens was interviewed by Hugh Hewitt about his run for Senator but it got ugly quick with Hewitt jumping right into the issues that lead to the former governors resignation in 2018.Here is a link to the transcript and the audio.
Although Hewitt shares an approach that others in Missouri might as well, I have to question just how familiar he is with the entire story. Multiple times when Greitens was attempting to make a point, Hewitt would interrupt and say “I have read everything. So tell me who got the $120,000 dollars…” Look, if you have read everything, you would know the name of the Attorney representing the ex-husband of the woman who Greitens had an affair with and you would certainly know that over a hundred thousand dollars was delivered to Watkins in a shoebox or paper bag or whatever the case was, Watkins loves the camera and jumped in front of one every chance he could.
Either way, it was brutal and if the former governor was not expecting this for the next year and a half from his opponents, I’m sure he is now.
Knowing how potentially nasty this next campaign season is going to be simply because we lived through the ordeal in 2018, the question that needs to be asked is whether or not this situation is going to bring out the best or the worst of our candidates?
Benjamin Brown is launching his candidacy for the 26th Senatorial District, (Franklin and St. Louis Co.). Benjamin was been instrumental in helping lead the fight against authoritarian mandates that jeopardized families’ ability to provide income by forcing businesses to close as part of an ill-conceived attempt at stopping or slowing the spread of Covid.
He’s a conservative lover of liberty and he could use your support. When: 6pm Friday, March 26th 63122
Where: Mike Duffy’s 124 W Jefferson Ave, Kirkwood, MO
