A change to Missouri Medicaid and CHIP eligibility took effect October 1, as a Chesterfield family tries to secure continued care for 10-year-old Yeva Kapusterynska. The family fled Odesa, Ukraine, in 2023; after moving to Kansas, they were hit by a drunk driver. Yeva suffered brain and spinal-cord injuries and still uses a wheelchair and needs regular medical care, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported. The paper says her Medicaid coverage ended in September after her parents’ work permits expired.
The dates matter
The September lapse preceded the October 1 change, so the new effective date does not explain the earlier loss of coverage. The Post-Dispatch reported that Missouri has reduced coverage more broadly for many nonpermanent residents. Under the Missouri Department of Social Services’ eligibility guidance, Medicaid and CHIP eligibility is now limited to lawful permanent residents, certain Cuban and Haitian entrants, and people from Compact of Free Association nations.
Federal guidance describes some limits to the change: the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services says federal matching funds remain available for emergency medical conditions, and the changes do not affect states’ option to cover lawfully residing children and pregnant women through Medicaid and CHIP. Those provisions do not establish whether Yeva qualifies for coverage or ensure payment for her ongoing rehabilitation.
Possible programs have limits
Missouri’s Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs Program provides limited funding for medically necessary services to families that meet financial eligibility guidelines, and is a payor of last resort, according to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. The agency’s description does not establish Yeva’s eligibility. The state’s MO HealthNet Division directs residents without coverage to seek help applying, but application assistance is not a guarantee of coverage.
Yeva received hospital care at Ranken Jordan Pediatric Bridge Hospital in St. Louis at no cost, KSDK reported. The hospital’s written financial-assistance policy requires applicants to exhaust other funding sources, submit an application and supporting documents, and meet an income limit of 400% of the federal poverty guidelines. That policy does not establish whether the family qualifies for assistance now or whether it would cover Yeva’s continuing care. The Post-Dispatch reports that her family fears an interruption could set back her progress; her coverage and eligibility for other programs remain unresolved.
