JEFFERSON CITY— Senate Leader Ron Richard and House Speaker Todd Richardson announced today that their two chambers will work together to develop a funding solution that will preserve in-home and nursing care for more than 8,000 disabled Missourians. Also to be considered is restoring provider rate cuts including cuts to private duty nurses who administer in-home neonatal care.
Richard and Richardson have asked Sen. Mike Cunningham and House Budget Chair Scott Fitzpatrick to work together, and to work with their colleagues from both parties, to formulate a fiscally responsible plan that will ensure services are maintained for some of the state’s most vulnerable citizens.
“It’s our job even in tough budget years to protect our most vulnerable citizens,” said Richard, R-Joplin. “Preserving funding for in-home and nursing care is important to both chambers, and together with the House, we can come up with a plan to keep those funds for senior services intact.”
“Finding a viable solution to preserve these critical services for disabled Missourians has been, and continues to be, a top priority for the Missouri House and for the General Assembly,” said Richardson, R-Poplar Bluff. “I’m confident that Rep. Fitzpatrick can work with Sen. Cunningham and with Republicans and Democrats in both chambers to find a fiscally responsible solution.”
Richard and Richardson said they are asking Cunningham and Fitzpatrick to develop a proposal over the course of the next three weeks. They said once they have an acceptable plan, they will discuss available options to put the proposal into effect.