The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has approved the Missouri Department of Social Services' request to expand women's health services to uninsured women ages 18-55 with income up to 185 percent of the federal poverty level.
"We are pleased and excited that CMS has given the stamp of approval to expand this program," said Ian McCaslin, MD, director of the MO HealthNet Division. "MO HealthNet is committed to improving the health status of Missouri's low income women. That effort begins with improved access to basic preventive services."
Until now, the women's health program was only available to uninsured MO HealthNet women for 12 months following the birth of a child.
"Improving access to high quality, affordable healthcare has been a priority for my administration over the last four years," said Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt. "The approval of our request will help improve the health status of tens of thousands of women in Missouri by providing them with greater access to physical examinations and screenings."
Blunt said the expanded services would improve access to medical evaluation for women seeking women's health services. They are patterned after successful public health interventions nationally and focus on engaging patients in increased awareness of underlying health conditions and risk factors.
"Under the expanded waiver, we estimate that approximately 83,000 uninsured women age 18-55 years with income up to $32,568 annually for a family of three can now be covered," said Deborah E. Scott, director of the Missouri Department of Social Services. "Our intent is to increase the opportunity for low income women to get annual health screenings to promote early detection of life-threatening disease such as breast or cervical cancer."