Missouri ACP Legislative Priorities
The Missouri Health and Public Policy Committee surveys the membership each year to determine what issues should be a priority for Missouri ACP. These topics are then the focus of the HPPC during the legislative session and the Missouri ACP Advocacy Day.
There are many ways Missouri ACP members can help with the legislative priorities:
1. Build a relationship with your local elected officials and talk with them about these issues.
2. Become a subject matter expert for your elected officials and be the resource they go to when they have questions related to internal medicine.
3. Participate in Advocacy Day.
There are many ways Missouri ACP members can help with the legislative priorities:
1. Build a relationship with your local elected officials and talk with them about these issues.
2. Become a subject matter expert for your elected officials and be the resource they go to when they have questions related to internal medicine.
3. Participate in Advocacy Day.
2019 Legislative Priorities
1) Prohibiting texting while driving. Each day in the United States approximately 9 people are killed and more than 1,000 injured in crashes involving a distracted driver. Missouri’s present law allows drivers over 21 years old to text and drive; 47 other states have banned texting altogether. We support legislation that will ban texting while driving at any age.
2) Maintain Medicaid Benefits in Missouri. Lack of medical insurance has had a profound effect on the health of many Missourians and especially those in inner cities and rural areas. The same deprivation has also created a negative economic impact by causing the disproportionate closure of smaller hospitals that serve this population. 40 other states have now voted to expand Medicaid. We support legislation expanding Medicaid coverage which will provide much needed health insurance for underserved Missourians.
3) Support “Red Flag” gun laws. Thirteen states including Illinois and Indiana have passed “Red Flag” Gun Laws (also referred to “Extreme Risk Protection Orders or “Gun Violence Restraining Orders”) and dozens of other states have introduced similar legislation. This would allow family members or law enforcement to seek a court order temporarily restricting an individual's access to firearms when a person shows "red flags" of being a danger to themselves or others. Two studies have shown that these laws have reduced the incidence of firearm suicides in several states that have enacted such laws. We support legislation enacting “Red Flag” gun laws to help reduce injuries and deaths related to firearms.
4) Support a prescription drug monitoring program. Missouri is in the top third of opioid prescribing states, yet we remain the only state without a statewide PDMP. The St. Louis County PDMP is still expanding (currently covers 85% of the state’s population), with more counties joining each month, and has proven to be a powerful tool to get an accurate refill history. There is dramatic difference in prescribing rates between counties in the state, and some of the highest prescribing rates are in counties that are not participating in the St. Louis County PDMP. We support legislation establishing a statewide PDMP that all Missouri physicians have access to.
2) Maintain Medicaid Benefits in Missouri. Lack of medical insurance has had a profound effect on the health of many Missourians and especially those in inner cities and rural areas. The same deprivation has also created a negative economic impact by causing the disproportionate closure of smaller hospitals that serve this population. 40 other states have now voted to expand Medicaid. We support legislation expanding Medicaid coverage which will provide much needed health insurance for underserved Missourians.
3) Support “Red Flag” gun laws. Thirteen states including Illinois and Indiana have passed “Red Flag” Gun Laws (also referred to “Extreme Risk Protection Orders or “Gun Violence Restraining Orders”) and dozens of other states have introduced similar legislation. This would allow family members or law enforcement to seek a court order temporarily restricting an individual's access to firearms when a person shows "red flags" of being a danger to themselves or others. Two studies have shown that these laws have reduced the incidence of firearm suicides in several states that have enacted such laws. We support legislation enacting “Red Flag” gun laws to help reduce injuries and deaths related to firearms.
4) Support a prescription drug monitoring program. Missouri is in the top third of opioid prescribing states, yet we remain the only state without a statewide PDMP. The St. Louis County PDMP is still expanding (currently covers 85% of the state’s population), with more counties joining each month, and has proven to be a powerful tool to get an accurate refill history. There is dramatic difference in prescribing rates between counties in the state, and some of the highest prescribing rates are in counties that are not participating in the St. Louis County PDMP. We support legislation establishing a statewide PDMP that all Missouri physicians have access to.