KBIA

Cost of Healthcare in MO Will Go Up JEFFERSON CITY, MO (KBIA) - A new report claims that Missouri families who have health coverage will pay more for it in 2008.

The report by Families USA states that over a million Missourians with insurance are in families that will spend more than 10 percent of their pre-tax income on health expenses next year. It also claims that some Missouri families will spend more than one-fourth of their pre-tax income on health costs in 2008.

Amy Smootcha is with the St. Louis chapter of Jobs with Justice:

"What we've seen is folks having to spend more and more on health care, even if they have insurance, to the point that it's placing their families in deeper and deeper debt...this is a significant economic crisis for Missouri families."

Meanwhile, a spokesman for Governor Blunt says his plans to expand access to health care may help reduce health care costs.
© Copyright 2009, KBIA