Pope Francis Gives Poverty a Human Face
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 Statistics on Medicaid and poverty, like those offered below in this Summer Update, are not enough to understand the plight of the poor. Pope Francis puts it this way:
"Look, you can't speak of poverty without having experience with the poor. You can't speak of poverty in the abstract: that doesn't exist. Poverty is the flesh of the poor Jesus, in that child who is hungry, in the one who is sick, in those unjust social structures. Go forward: look there upon the flesh of Jesus." |
Your State Government:
The Missouri Rx Plan
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 Missouri Rx Plan (MoRx) works with Medicare Prescription Drugs Plans (Part D) to help seniors and persons with disabilities save money on prescription drugs. The state's pharmacy assistance plan developed by the Missouri General Assembly pays up to 50% of any out-of-pocket costs on prescription medications that are not covered by private insurance or a Medicare Part D Plan.
The free plan saves eligible members 50% on prescription deductibles, 50% on co-pays, and at least 50% of the coverage gap. There is no cap on the benefits.
The plan works with all Medicare D plans and any medication that is covered by the patient's Medicare Drug Plan will also be covered by MoRx as a 31 day supply. MoRx does not allow mail order prescriptions.
Enrollment is free and open year-round. Once enrolled, you never need to re-apply. Those who qualify for both Medicare and MO HealthNet (Medicaid) benefits will automatically be enrolled into MoRx.
You may qualify for MoRx if you are a Missouri resident, enrolled in a Medicare Part D Plan, and single - with an annual gross household income of $21,660 or less, or married - with an annual income of $29,140 or less.
For assistance click here or call CLAIM at 1-800-390-3330. CLAIM provides free health insurance counseling to Medicare patients in Missouri.
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Understanding Medicaid: The Geography of Participation
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Participation in Medicaid varies dramatically from one region to another. Over 893,000 Missourians participate in Medicaid and contrary to popular perception much of that participation comes from rural areas. Here's a map of Missouri showing the 2012 average monthly participation per 1000 of the population.
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Medicaid Participation Tracks Areas of Poverty
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Medicaid participation in Missouri tracks where the greatest poverty is. In addition to the City of St. Louis, poverty is found especially in the Missouri Bootheel and throughout much of Southern Missouri. Using U.S. Census data the website service Index Mundi has compiled a map of Missouri showing poverty rates by county. If you live in St. Louis County, St. Charles County or parts of Central Missouri you may get the false impression that Missouri is a relatively wealthy state. The per capita personal income for St. Louis County, for example, was $51,512 in a 2010 study, while the state average was only $36,799. But per capita personal income is much lower in other areas, such as Southeastern Missouri. The Missouri Economic Research and Information Center (MERIC) has developed a map of Missouri showing per capita income by county. |
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Rich Nation, Poor Nation - Rich County,
Poor County
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For many decades the popes have called on rich nations to be generous in assisting poorer nations. The disparity in wealth is also found within nations and even within states like Missouri. Even in more affluent areas poverty can be found by those who are looking to help those in need.
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Annual Assembly Workshop Feature: Soup Kitchens and Beyond
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In his short papacy Pope Francis has been calling on Catholics to reach out to the poor. The local parish provides a prefect outlet for concerned Catholics to reach out to the less fortunate in their community. However, many parishes are unsure how to go about addressing local needs. At the MCC Annual Assembly on September 28 a group of talented ladies will provide practical advice on how to set up a local soup kitchen to feed the hungry in the community. Helen Manson, Anne Erbschloe, and Ruth O'Neill have a wealth of experience working in soup kitchens in their communities. They will not only share valuable lessons they've learned, but give insights on how a soup kitchen can be the doorway to provide additional services to folks that come in to get a hot meal. Through this workshop participants will learn how this type of direct action enriches not only the lives of the poor, but also the volunteers serving them. This is a workshop you don't want to miss! |
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An Inspiring Story About a
Cardinal Ritter Graduate
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 St. Louis Post-Dispatch columnist Bill McClellan has penned an inspiring story about a graduate of Cardinal Ritter High School in St. Louis who may be on her way to the Naval Academy in Annapolis. Click here to read the story. |
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3.2 Million Pilgrims Celebrate Mass
at World Youth Day
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Reports from Brazil indicate that 3.2 million pilgrims filled the beaches of Copacabana to celebrate the Closing Mass of World Youth Day with Pope Francis. Coming from all over the world, youth flocked to Rio de Janeiro, a city at the heart of South America where the majority of the world's Catholics reside.
In an interview with Catholic News Service, Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York gave his impressions of the event, indicating that the event "works" because it recognizes the concept that our faith "needs company." We need to know we aren't by ourselves. With 3.2 million around them, those pilgrims who attended got that company in spades!
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The Wisdom of James Madison: Two Qualities Needed for Good Government
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 In Federalist Number 62 James Madison suggests two things that are essential to good government:
"A good government implies two things: first, fidelity to the object of government, which is the happiness of the people; secondly, a knowledge of the means by which that object can be best attained. Some governments are deficient in both these qualities: Most governments are deficient in the first. I scruple not to assert that in the American government too little attention has been paid to the last."
Madison, known as the Father of the Constitution, knew that America had men and women of good will, but yet the mechanism of government at that time - under the Articles of Confederation - was not serving the people well.
Few of the founders, including Madison, considered the constitution they drafted to be perfect or without need of occasional update. For this reason there is a process whereby the U.S. Constitution can be amended. The Missouri Constitution may also be amended by a vote of the people.
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