JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - A report released Wednesday by Missouri Auditor Nicole Galloway found cuts to in-home care for seniors and people with disabilities didn't end up saving as much money as expected.
The review found that ramping up eligibility requirements for the program saved about $11 million last fiscal year compared to the year before. That's far less than the $43 million in savings that the state's health department had estimated when cuts to the program took effect last year.
"The savings have been overestimated, which cause greater budget challenges and, often, the need for supplemental appropriations," Galloway said. "More realistic estimates would have helped avoid those problems."
At issue are in-home and community-based services that include help with bathing, cleaning and taking medicine.
Lawmakers in 2017 passed a budget that cut the Medicaid-funded personal care services by requiring participants to show a greater level of disability in order to qualify for the aid.
Savings from that cut ultimately came up short, according to Galloway's office.