Missouri Senate approves Medicaid reform bill.

Intro: The Missouri Senate paved the way for Medicaid reform by approving Missouri Healthnet.

Amy Becker has more from the state Capitol.

The Senate was unusually calm in its acceptance of Senate bill 577, a bill that has been under debate for weeks.

Opponents of the Medicaid bill accuse it of putting power in bureaucracies while taking power away from participants of Medicaid.

Democratic Senator Joan Bray voiced her concern for Medicaid participants.

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Description: This bill provides a great opportunity for bureaucrats. It provides a GREAT opportunity for insurance companies.

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OutCue: SOC The bill continues its journey to the House where it must be approved before being sent to the Governor.

Reporting from the Missouri Senate, I'm Amy Becker, KMOX News.

Medicaid in Missouri has remained relatively unchanged for nearly 40 years. The Missouri Senate changed this by approving Medicaid reform.

Amy Becker has more from Jefferson City.

One final concern, was the failure of the bill to re-establish cuts made to the program two years ago.

Democratic Senator Rita Days compared the new Healthnet system to an actual net saying:

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Description: I'm hoping that as we move forward, we'll seek to do something so we can keep this a closer net. So that we don't have the number of people falling through the health care system as we have had in the past.

The bill must now be approved by the House.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Amy Becker.

The Missouri Senate approved a new Medicaid program for Missourians called Health Net.

Amy Becker has more from the Missouri Senate.

President Pro-Tem Senator Michael Gibbons commended the bill's sponsor, Senate Majority leader Charlie Shields for taking on a task that hasn't been done in forty years.

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Description: I understand the concerns of people expressed because we are about to embark on a historic effort. We are laying without question a new foundation for health care for the most vulnerable people in this state.

Concerns included the re-establishment of cuts made to the program two years ago and the micromanagement of the program by bureaucracies.

From Jefferson City, I'm Amy Becker, KMOX news.