Blunt, health foundation spar over uninsured
Gov. Matt Blunt took issue with the Missouri Foundation of Health today, not long after the foundation announced its new Web site dedicated to informing Missourians about the plight of the uninsured. The undercurrent of the dispute, of course, continues to be Blunt’s criticism of Democrat Attorney General Jay Nixon, the presumptive Democratic nominee for governor in 2008, a seat Blunt is no longer seeking.
First, the news: The health foundation, a private not-for-profit group created by a legal dispute between the state and Blue Cross and Blue Shield, is setting up a new Web site, www.covermissouri.org, to research and propose policy directives related to decreasing the number of uninsured in Missouri.
Blunt, however, took the opportunity to issue a news release today accusing the foundation of being controlled by Nixon. Indeed, Nixon does appoint advisory board members which ultimately have a say in the make-up of the foundation’s board. And the foundation has given grants to organizations that are generally in tune with Nixon’s gubernatorial campaign.
But most interesting about Blunt’s news release today was his allegation that the foundation has “declined” to partner with the state.
That’s partially true, says foundation President and CEO Dr. James Kimmey.
Back in December, when he was still running for governor, Blunt asked Kimmey’s organization for what Kimmey termed about “80 percent of our funding for the next 10 years.” Kimmey says the board met and refused Blunt’s request.
In a letter to the governor, Kimmey pointed out that the foundation regularly funds state programs.
“It was an unusual request,” Kimmey said today. “I dare say unprecedented. … A lot of this, I think, has to do with the gubernatorial campaign.”
See the letters between Blunt and the Foundation here.
I’m sorry to disagree with you Jason and Nick, but I think you’re confused. The Missouri Budget Project was one of the first nonprofit groups to support Governor Blunt’s Insure MO proposal this year. They’ve been consistently supporting health care policies, whether sponsored by Republicans or Democrats or both.
You need to get your facts straight.