From My Window...

This joyful season of white, Eastertide is a time we think about the meaning of our Lord's resurrection and its implications for our daily living. So, will you think a moment with me about the kindness of our Savior? The early Christian community had this from St. Paul, "as God's chosen people...clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience" (Colossians 3:12).

St. Paul links kindness with some very fine friends; specifically I mean kindness is compassionate. Mother Teresa said this: "Be the living expression of God's kindness.. .give... not only your care, but also your heart." We Presbyterians have many ways to do this as we show the love of Christ. In the past few years one of the issues before our state has been health care. The legislature has taken some serious steps to limit the way all of us help provide adequate health care to many whose incomes are limited. I am concerned about the changes in the Medicaid program, the program we have to support the needy. I think it is not kind, nor is it compassionate to back away from almost 100,000 people (cut from Medicaid because state leaders said Missouri was "broke"), nor ignore the almost 700,000 among us who have no health insurance. Forty-six states have more compassionate/generous care for the needy than we provide. I believe the Bible teaches us to do our best to help each other. Taxes are not a happy thought; it is that season isn't it? But thoughtful people know that taxes provide support for important acts of kindness such as the provision of health care to children and adults who need it but cannot afford it. Why are we stepping away from compassionate care? Are we asleep and not aware? Surely we do not doubt that poor neighbors and some middle-class-families need a hand with the incredible cost of good health care and medicine? I see this as an ethical issue.

In the midst of cultural, economic and political changes where do we find guidance? The truth is found in the revelation of God's will in Holy Scriptures. Compassion and kindness; they help us define our Lord's new commandment, that we live by loving one another. Each Presbyterian has to think this through but I believe we Missourians need to do more with the gifts entrusted to us than we are now doing to expand health care to those in need. I am upset with our well-insured legislature. 

Rudy W. Beard, Pastor, First Presbyterian Church, Jefferson City, MO

April 2007

“ Let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.”

About one year ago Ruth Thompson and I attended a synod gathering held at First Presbyterian Church in Jefferson City.  The agenda topic was a review of the state’s Medicaid changes due to a budget shortfall and how those changes impacted the low income citizens of our state.    The program’s presenters were members of 1st Church in Jeff City and all worked closely with the state legislature.  They were well informed about the history of the state budget crises and the impact of the budget cuts. The numbers and stories shared that day were disturbing to say the least.

Following that meeting most of the same information was shared at the Missouri Union Presbytery Meeting held in August of 2006 at Louisiana, MO.  These are the main points shared with the Presbytery  ---

• In Missouri, 11.8% of people live below the poverty line, (e.g. a family of 4 with a total income of under $19,300)

• Health care accounts for 19% of the average family income

• The MEDICAID program is a federal-state partnership that is the nation’s health care safety net providing care for low income children, some parents and pregnant women, people with long-term disabilities, and low income seniors.

• In 2005, Missouri cut funding for its MEDICAID program by $250 million (giving up its $380 million federal match) to meet budget difficulties. Missouri now has one of the most restrictive MEDICAID programs (e.g. an annual income limit of $5800 for eligibility) and the entire program will cease to exist in June of 2008 without state reauthorization. In total, 153,162 Missourians (including 61,643 children no longer receive health care under the MEDICAID program.

Recent developments since August of 2006 were shared at the February Presbytery meeting and are as follows --

• In November of 2006, a proposed Missouri Constitutional Amendment to restore some of the MEDICAID cuts failed (51.4% against, 48.6% for)

• In December, the speaker of the Missouri House announced that by June of 2007 the state will have a budget surplus of approximately $500 million. Both the speaker and the governor have endorsed tax cuts.

• In January 2007, the governor announced his plan to reauthorize and revise the Missouri MEDICAID program. His proposal renames the program “MO Health Net” and emphasized the following features: 

• Promotion of prevention and wellness
• Personal responsibility for one’s own health care
• Reduction in emergency room visits
• Use of modern technology to avoid duplication and increase of efficiency
• Coordinated health care for the chronically ill and higher cost participants

The revised program will expand coverage to an additional 10,000 Missourians, most of whom were not covered by the previous MEDICAID program.

• Since the August 2006 Presbytery meeting an additional 22,344 Missourians (including 9,004 children) have lost MEDICAID coverage.

1st Presbyterian Church in Jeff City has a Church and Society Mission team that is following developments at the state level.  They are joining forces with the current Missouri Union Presbytery’s mission team for Peacemaking and Social Justice to keep these issues in the forefront.  As Missourians, and especially as Christians in Missouri, we have a responsibility to be informed and to act to the best of our ability, to address the issues of social justice in the world in which we live. Undoubtedly we will not all come to the same conclusions regarding the best course of action but we should agree that the claim of Christ on our lives includes our care of the poor in our midst.  We can commit to pray for our governor and legislature for wisdom and compassion.  We can pray that God will give us wisdom and compassion in our concern and care for the poor. We can contact our state representatives and let them know our stand on these issues.

If any of you are interested in more information or being a part of tracking these most important issues in our state please contact me or Ruth Thompson. Together let us follow the Lord’s command to “do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with our God.”

Kathie Jackson, Associate Pastor First Presbyterian Church, Columbia, MO

April, 2007