Tony Messenger Metro columnist Follow Tony Messenger Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today It's the sort of unfortunate distinction for the Show-Me State — worst in the nation in some metric or another — that is becoming all too common. Whether it is teacher pay or education funding, corrections officer salaries or investments in public health, Missouri has a habit of finishing last in areas that could help its most vulnerable residents. The latest issue is the failure of state government to provide health insurance in a timely fashion to children living in poverty.
This is a basic government function. The health insurance is funded by the federal government. All Missouri has to do is sign up kids who qualify.
It is failing in that task. In February, according to recently released statistics, Missouri finished last in the nation for delays in getting people signed up for Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program. As first reported by the Missouri Independent, the state's failure to allow people who qualify for the programs to quickly get access has attracted the ire of the federal government, which is sending investigators here.
