Dear Editor:
Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens has dealt a devastating blow to thousands of elderly, disabled, and veterans in Missouri when he cut the Medicaid funding for in-home and for nursing home care. By the governor's own accounting these cuts will affect 8,000 of our most vulnerable Missourians. This population struggles with catastrophic health issues, mental health issues, including Alzheimer's disease, and they simply have no way of increasing their income via the workforce to be able to care for themselves. In fact, these cuts may actually cost the taxpayers more as this population will seek their health care via the hospital emergency rooms.
It's just wrong to abandon the seniors, disabled, and veterans of Missouri.
Lt. Gov. Mike Parson has urged the state legislature to call for a special session to fix the cuts, but that has not happened. The required veto session will be Sept. 13, so without a special session called by the governor, it is now imperative that our elected officials address the Medicaid funding cuts during the veto session.