Healthnet to replace Medicaid

Intro: Top ranking State Republicans proposed a new healthcare bill Thursday that would replace Medicaid when it expires in 2008. RunTime:
OutCue: SOC

The new healthcare program would supply those on Medicaid with a healthcare advocate, such as a nurse to help with immediate medical needs and to refer them to doctors.

The bills' co-sponsor, St. Joesph's Charlie Shields, says the new program will focus on healthy living as well as disease prevention.

Actuality: SHIELDS3.WAV

Run Time: 00:17

Description: The goal would be to move a system that is focused almost primarily on paying disease to a system that pays for outcomes and pays for health and does that is a model that makes sense, has a high levels of satisfaction and improves the qualities of life.

Shields said the bill would provide incentives to patients who made healthy decisions. Healthcare providers can also get incentives for having healthy patients.

From the Capitol, I'm Sarah Wire.

Intro: Top ranking State Republicans proposed a new healthcare bill Thursday that would replace Medicaid when it expires in 2008. RunTime:
OutCue: SOC

The new healthcare program would supply those on Medicaid with a healthcare advocate, such as a nurse to help with immediate medical needs and to refer them to doctors.

The bills' co-sponsor, St. Joesph's Charlie Shields, says the new program will focus on healthy living as well as disease prevention.

Actuality: SHIELDS3.WAV

Run Time: 00:17

Shields said the bill would provide incentives to patients who made healthy decisions. Healthcare providers can also get incentives for having healthy patients.

From the Capitol, I'm Sarah Wire.

Intro: A new plan for Missouri health care was released Thursday by two of the senate's leading Republicans. RunTime:
OutCue: SOC

The proposed health care would create Mo HealthNet, a replacement for the Medicaid program set to be dismantled in 2008.

St. Joseph Senator Charlie Shields, the bill's co-sponsor, said under the new program Missourians would get incentives for healthy behavior such as losing weight or quitting smoking.Senate Democratic Leader Maida Coleman these incentives need to be regulated so everyone on the plan can qualify.

Actuality: COLEMAN5.WAV

Run Time: 00:12

Description: If we have patients that have severe health problems it's kind of hard to expect that to go away overnight which means they don't reap the benefits.

Under the Republican's proposal doctors could recieve bonuses for treating healthy patients. Coleman said these bonuses also need to be regulated.

From the Captiol, I'm Sarah Wire.