JEFFERSON CITY • It could be as long as a year before a new state law allowing doctors to charge Medicaid patients late fees for missing an appointment goes into effect.And, even then, the future of the controversial law backed by Missouri’s Republican-led Legislature remains in limbo.Lawmakers last week overrode Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon’s veto of the measure allowing for the late fees and giving doctors the ability to refuse to schedule new appointments until the missed appointment fee is paid.
The charge would be $5 for the first missed appointment, $10 for the second and $20 for the third.The law also would allow $8 co-pays if a Medicaid recipient seeks treatment in an emergency room for a non-emergency health issue.While Nixon contends the changes would unfairly punish the poor, Republicans said it would help them.“I contend it will increase the health of the recipients by getting them …
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