We need ‘Insure Missouri’

More than 719,000 Missourians have no health insurance. Most of these uninsured Missourians are working adults without employer-sponsored health plans who cannot afford health insurance in the marketplace.
Hospitals are acutely aware of the importance of health insurance. As the safety net for health care in times of illness and emergency, hospitals are often the primary — and sometimes only — source of medical care for the uninsured. But substituting emergency care for insurance coverage is costly and unsustainable.
The cost of the uninsured is a problem for everyone — it challenges the human health of our neighbors and co-workers who don’t have adequate coverage as well as the economic health of our businesses and communities. A recent study from the American Cancer Society underscores the problem. According to the report the uninsured were less likely to pursue recommended screenings, and when diagnosed their cancer is more likely to have spread. The study also found uninsured cancer patients are 1.6 times more likely to die within five years as those with private insurance.
The effect of poor health ripples throughout our communities and economy. When workers are not healthy, they are less productive. Health impairment has been linked to workplace absenteeism and reduced productivity. Research indicates workers in poor health are more likely to quit work or retire early than are workers in better health.
One important effort to expand access to health insurance is the Insure Missouri initiative.  If fully implemented, Insure Missouri would extend health insurance to more than 200,000 citizens earning less than $38,203 for a family of four.  Extending insurance to these working adults and their families is an important beginning step in addressing our healthcare crisis.
The expansion of access to affordable health insurance envisioned in Insure Missouri will strengthen communities and improve lives. These goals are core to hospitals’ community-centered mission of health improvement. We encourage our legislative partners and members of the community to join us in supporting these efforts. For more information on our efforts, visit www.myhealthcarematters. org.
Marc D. Smith, Ph.D., President
Missouri Hospital Association, Jefferson City