Love note from Jeff City

My Fellow Missourians:

It’s finally official, Old Drum is Missouri’s Historic Dog.  Legislation (SB376) sponsored by Senator Denny Hoskins of Warrensburg was signed into law last Friday by Governor Greitens.   I have co-sponsored and supported this effort for the last five years and Senator Hoskins has worked trying to get it across the finish line for nine years.  “When talking to my colleagues in the House and Senate, I said this bill is not only about preserving Missouri’s history, but it’s about economic development and tourism,” Hoskins said, later adding, “It will do wonders for marketing, for tourism.”  (Tourism is the state’s #2 industry behind agriculture.)

Following the Civil War, the shooting and subsequent case of Old Drum inspired lawyer, George Graham Vest, to deliver one of the finest speeches ever about the loyalty of a hunting dog, and in doing so created the phrase “man’s best friend.”  Old Drum was an exceptional dog, but one night in 1869 when he wandered onto the neighboring property of a sheep farmer who had lost many sheep to predators, Old Drum was fatally shot. Old Drum’s owner, Charles Burden, decided to sue his neighbor, and the case eventually found its way into the Supreme Court. The very emotional trial would rest on the closing argument of Mr. Vest, who was representing Old Drum’s master.  The future U.S. Senator, Mr. Vest, won the case and Mr. Burden was awarded $50.   A statue of Old Drum was erected and still stands on the current Johnson County Courthouse lawn.  (The old courthouse where Vest delivered his famous speech stands about 1/2 mile west, and features its own dog statue and historical marker.)

Helping seniors afford prescription medications:

Due to a $500 million revenue shortfall and tough but necessary decisions made by the General Assembly to balance the budget, some Missouri seniors will see their state-provided prescription drug benefits come to an end on July 1. While the state will continue to provide assistance through the MORx Prescription Drug program to more than 140,000 seniors, those who do not meet the tightened eligibility requirements will now need to look at other programs that offer similar benefits.

Members worked diligently to preserve vital services and programs, but ultimately had to make tough decisions and painful cuts in order to find an additional $500 million to balance the budget. The result is the MORx program saw a funding cut of approximately $12 million that will end benefits for approximately 59,000 seniors who make between 85 percent and 185 percent of the federal poverty level.

Although the legislature was forced to cut some of the funding for the program, lawmakers did reauthorize MORx so that it will continue into the future. The program had been set to expire completely on Aug. 28.  Legislators were able to save $11.7 million in funding for the program so that 142,000 seniors receiving MO HealthNet benefits will continue to receive prescription drug assistance. Because the program has been renewed, seniors who will lose their benefits this year will see them restored if and when state revenues are sufficient to once again fund the program fully.

For those who will lose their benefits, lawmakers are promoting programs such as the Rx Outreach program, which is a nonprofit, mail-order pharmacy that provides free and low-cost generic medications. The Missouri-based company serves seniors in all 50 states and provides access to more than 800 generic medications. Missourians can qualify for the program with annual income of $36,180 or less for a single person, $48,720 or less for family of two, $61,260 or less for a family of three, $73,800 or less for family of four.

Contact Rx Outreach for more information.  Enrollment may be done through the company’s website at www.RxOutreach.org or call 1-877-684-1955.  Once enrolled, people can easily have their prescriptions transferred to Rx Outreach to fill and mail directly to people’s homes. Prices for medications are listed online and are available by phone. There are no hidden charges – no enrollment fees or mailing charges.

Seniors may call MORx at 1-800-375-1406 with any questions. The MO Department of Social Services has suggested other resources that may be helpful to those impacted by the change in law:

• To determine Medicaid eligibility, please call the Family Support Division at 1-855-373-4636.

• Partnership for Prescription Assistance – 1-888-477-2669 or online at pparx.org.

• Community Leaders Assisting the Insured of Missouri (CLAIM) – 1-800-390-3330.

• Area Agencies on Aging (AAA) – 1-800-677-1116.