“Genuine leadership is direction not position, vision not power, influence not office, followed not forced; it is earned by character not bribe.” Anonymous
As the cost of health care continues to rise, the discussion about how to offer better, more efficient and affordable care becomes imperative. The cost of welfare spending, which is mandated income redistribution, now consumes up to one-third of our state’s tax revenues. Nevertheless, costs are reduced when best practice care is provided in a timely and coordinated fashion. In recent years the Legislature has made progress in finding ways to reduce costs and improve access to health care, especially in rural areas of the state.
Last week, the Senate advanced a bill that addresses two expensive problems in health care: 1) unnecessary emergency room visits and 2) patient no-shows at doctors’ offices. Senate Bill 608, sponsored by Sen. Sater, R-Cassville, will authorize MO HealthNet health care providers to charge a minimal fee for missed appointments and will create an $8 emergency room co-pay system. This policy will encourage patients to visit their primary care doctors before going to the emergency room where they can be treated more comprehensively and at a lower cost to the state. Studies show this could save more than $18 million a year in Medicaid costs alone if every state had a similar statute.
An amendment added to the bill will also add more transparency when it comes to cost of medical treatment and as a result make health care providers compete for business. With the added amendment, health care providers will be required to provide patients with an estimated cost of treatment.
The Senate also passed, Senate Bill 607, to reduce fraud and abuse in Missouri’s welfare system. The bill, also sponsored by Sen. Sater, requires the Department of Social Services to contract with a third party to verify eligibility for public assistance programs. The responsibility to find out who is no longer eligible for services would be in the hands of a private vendor that has access to better data and is more efficient and better trained to deal with that information. It’s time we get ahold of a system that is continually growing and causing costs to rise at rapid rates.
Also advancing is Senate Bill 875, sponsored by Sen. Kurt Schaefer, R-Columbia. The bill removes barriers to lower cost prescription drugs. A pharmacist will be able to select an interchangeable biological product when filling a prescribed biologic brand name. Biosimilars are already in the market, but pharmacists are required to obtain advanced approval from the doctor before making the substitution. This measure allows them to substitute any FDA approved “interchangeable” biologic product just like pharmacists do now for generic drugs. Besides saving money for patients, this bill also saves the state money by lowering some prescription Medicaid costs. Estimates show the state could save up to $12 million in General Revenue spending between now and 2019.
Other bills advanced by the Senate to improve patient care and access to care include: Senate Bill 635, sponsored by Sen. Dan Hegeman, R-Cosby, and Senate Bill 621, sponsored by Sen. Gary Romine, R-Farmington.
For more on these bills and other legislative activity, visit www.senate.mo.gov.
You can contact my office at (573) 751-2108 if you have any questions. Thank you and we welcome your prayers for the proper application of state government.