Five More Ways to Increase Poverty in Missouri
As a followup to a post from last year on ways Missouri legislators and government officials drive low-income workers into poverty, I have collected another set of roadblocks unfairly placed on poor people. The list this time includes corporations that have developed products and services that target low-income or vulnerable populations.
1. Block Medicaid Expansion.
Missouri legislators get the prize for going the extra mile on this. Even strongly Republican-led states like Indiana, Tennessee, Utah and Wyoming are either considering expanding or have decided to expand Medicaid, a state-administered health program supporting very low-income workers and their families. Wyoming's plan to expand Medicaid will provide 17,600 people with access to health care, plus provide 800 jobs. States like Wyoming are realizing that expanding Medicaid relieves hospitals from uncompensated costs.
“I will do everything I can to prevent Medicaid expansion,” said conservative Missouri legislator Bob Onder, showing a particularly brash disregard for people without access to health care.
Due to legislative intransigence, Missouri hospitals serving the most vulnerable population are strained, like Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center, where "70 percent of Poplar Bluff’s patients are Medicare or Medicaid patients, and the number of uninsured and underinsured patients is growing."
Onder's onerous position will impact those rural Missouri residents most likely to have voted for him. And without access to affordable health care, nutrition education, and preventative maintenance options, low-income people will see their health decline, costing Missouri more than if we did elect to expand Medicaid.
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2. We're #1: Defund public health care, including health education.
A January 4, 2015 Kansas City Star article shows Missouri earning the distinction of providing the least amount of public funds towards health care. The state's rank on health dropped from merely average to one of the states with one of the worst health profiles since 1990.
On a positive note, several developments in 2014 will improve the quality of health care in the area:
3. Make it difficult to apply for food stamps.
The lack of an online, web-based application for SNAP/Food Stamps acts as a roadblock to eligible recipients. Becky Woelfel, Department of Social Services Communications director, indicated the lack of an online application "elongates" the processing time.
1. Block Medicaid Expansion.
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| FamiliesUSA infographic (click for full size view) |
“I will do everything I can to prevent Medicaid expansion,” said conservative Missouri legislator Bob Onder, showing a particularly brash disregard for people without access to health care.
Due to legislative intransigence, Missouri hospitals serving the most vulnerable population are strained, like Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center, where "70 percent of Poplar Bluff’s patients are Medicare or Medicaid patients, and the number of uninsured and underinsured patients is growing."
Onder's onerous position will impact those rural Missouri residents most likely to have voted for him. And without access to affordable health care, nutrition education, and preventative maintenance options, low-income people will see their health decline, costing Missouri more than if we did elect to expand Medicaid.
A January 4, 2015 Kansas City Star article shows Missouri earning the distinction of providing the least amount of public funds towards health care. The state's rank on health dropped from merely average to one of the states with one of the worst health profiles since 1990.
On a positive note, several developments in 2014 will improve the quality of health care in the area:
- The Farm Bill was signed into law on February 7, 2014 with minimal reductions in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)/Food Stamps funding. The new bill provides nutrition education options to reduce obesity.
- Attempts to control the diets of SNAP recipients failed in the Missouri legislation this year.
- The USDA provided additional emergency funds for the distribution of $126 million of produce to low-income families, including tart cherries, blueberries, raisins, fresh tomatoes, among other items.
- A low-cost, non-profit grocery store in St. Joseph continues operation in 2014 after starting up in 2013.
- The Greater Kansas City Food Hub Working Group "approved the launch of a Regional Food Hub that will expand area production of fruits and vegetables, as well as improve access to healthy, locally produced food in Greater Kansas City." Kansas residents are looking at a food hub in northeast Kansas, too.
3. Make it difficult to apply for food stamps.
The lack of an online, web-based application for SNAP/Food Stamps acts as a roadblock to eligible recipients. Becky Woelfel, Department of Social Services Communications director, indicated the lack of an online application "elongates" the processing time.
“This computer issue has been resolved and we are diligently working to get applications processed as quickly as possible to return to a normal processing time,” she said. “We urge anyone who has encountered an issue with their food stamp application to contact the Family Support Division’s special unit dedicated to resolving those problems by calling 1-573-751-8959 or emailing FSD.CRU@dss.mo.gov for special assistance.”
A bright spot in Missouri is a successful legislative effort that removed SNAP eligibility for those that have served time on drug felonies. Some states like Georgia keep these restrictions even though it's against federal law.
4. Allow predatory lending.
In 2014 Missouri Governor Jay Nixon vetoed legislation restricting predatory lending practices. According to Communities Creating Opportunity (CCO) policy director Molly Fleming-Pierre, the legislation would not have fixed the problem with excessive payday loan rates.
Go down any major thorough fare in the Kansas City metro area -- 350 highway in Raytown, Wornall Road in Kansas City, 291 highway in Lee's Summit, Noland Road in Independence -- and you'll find countless payday or title loan operations. Many title loans businesses like TitleMax, Advance America, King of Kash, Midwest Title Loan, with excessive loan interest rates reaching 400%.
Support CCO's innovative efforts like their "Cat the Rate" plan to raise awareness and bury predatory lending. The Cat the Rate plan is a playful nod to a recent Missouri anti-poverty coalition effort called "Cap the Rate."
5. Guilty and Charged: enforce excessive driving restrictions on poor people unable to pay court fines.
An NPR report on January 5, 2015 title "Guilty and Charged" showed how Missouri and other states require people to lose their license for long periods of time, if they unable to pay small court fines.
The report mentioned that drunk driving offenders lose their licenses in some cases for 9 months, while an individual unable to pay a $60 court fine lost their license for two years.
The penalty is an unfair burden on poor people because the lost of a driver's license could prevent their employment. While proponents of changing the policy argue that offenders are liable for their actions, they stress that a better policy would account for a person's ability to pay.
A bright spot in Missouri is a successful legislative effort that removed SNAP eligibility for those that have served time on drug felonies. Some states like Georgia keep these restrictions even though it's against federal law.
4. Allow predatory lending.
In 2014 Missouri Governor Jay Nixon vetoed legislation restricting predatory lending practices. According to Communities Creating Opportunity (CCO) policy director Molly Fleming-Pierre, the legislation would not have fixed the problem with excessive payday loan rates.Go down any major thorough fare in the Kansas City metro area -- 350 highway in Raytown, Wornall Road in Kansas City, 291 highway in Lee's Summit, Noland Road in Independence -- and you'll find countless payday or title loan operations. Many title loans businesses like TitleMax, Advance America, King of Kash, Midwest Title Loan, with excessive loan interest rates reaching 400%.
Support CCO's innovative efforts like their "Cat the Rate" plan to raise awareness and bury predatory lending. The Cat the Rate plan is a playful nod to a recent Missouri anti-poverty coalition effort called "Cap the Rate."
5. Guilty and Charged: enforce excessive driving restrictions on poor people unable to pay court fines.
An NPR report on January 5, 2015 title "Guilty and Charged" showed how Missouri and other states require people to lose their license for long periods of time, if they unable to pay small court fines.
The report mentioned that drunk driving offenders lose their licenses in some cases for 9 months, while an individual unable to pay a $60 court fine lost their license for two years.
The penalty is an unfair burden on poor people because the lost of a driver's license could prevent their employment. While proponents of changing the policy argue that offenders are liable for their actions, they stress that a better policy would account for a person's ability to pay.
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