By Maria Hickey, KWMU
St. Louis, MO. – Several Medicaid recipients and a coalition of public interest groups are suing the state of Missouri for dropping coverage of some medical equipment.
The state is eliminating Medicaid coverage for equipment such as hospital beds and wheelchair batteries as of Thursday.
The suit was filed in federal court Monday in Jefferson City.
Thomas Kennedy is one of the plaintiffs' attorneys.
The lawsuit alleges that the state is violating the comparability and reasonable standards provisions of the Federal Medicaid Act; that these services are required to be provided by a state Medicaid agency, Kennedy said.
Kennedy says several national organizations, including the AARP and the National Health Law Program, are taking part in the suit.
He says they're seeking an injunction to keep the cuts from going into effect on Thursday.
No one with the Department of Social Services has been available for comment Monday.