Health Vs Wealth

"Centene Corporation is the St. Louis based leading multi-line health care enterprise that provides programs and related services to individuals receiving benefits under Medicaid, including Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP)."

Clayton, Missouri, is the county seat of St. Louis and houses many prominent business; of which, Centene is a player -- though a younger one.

With rapid growth, they reached $1 billion dollars in revenue in 2004 and the CEO was the 19th top salary-maker in St. Louis. Last year, he moved up to 13th with a whopping $950,000 base salary with an extra $3,931,941 in stock awards. Amazing huh? Yet another success in the pocket of managed health care!

However, some time ago, Centene decided that they would like build a $210 million headquarters. To do so, would require the acquisition of other business in the Clayton area. However, instead of working to acquire these properties in a civilized manner, Centene demanded the right for imminent domain and threatened to relocate the business and that their employees were replaceable. Some local business owners were even willing to negotiate with these dictators but this did not matter to Centene. When the city of Clayton rebuked these greedy demands, it finally took the Supreme Court to shut them up.

So what has Centene decided to do now? Why, they've come to the "rescue" of the still-undeveloped new Busch Stadium. Despite being ready to displace their "dispensable" employees, they now claim that they can bring over 1500 jobs to the city. What a turn-around! Centene and city officials say the $250,000,000 development will occupy two blocks of Ballpark Village, including more than 700,000 square feet of office and retail space, parking for more than 1500 cars, and a 180-bed hotel. Wait ... a hotel? ...for a Medicaid provider?

The deal includes $78,000,000 worth of incentives for Centene, including:
- St. Louis tax abatement estimated value $48,000,000.

- St. Louis TIF/MoDESA on economic activity taxes estimated value $26,000,000.

- Chapter 100 Sales Tax/Personal Property Tax Abatement estimated value $4,000,000.

Other incentives include $24,000,000 in New Markets Tax Credits and a C-I-D penny sales tax on the hotel, estimated at $2,000,000. St. Louis will also request Missouri MoDESA financing for a percentage of new incremental state revenue.

Now, let me rephrase the business of Centene in case you missed it above:

"Centene provides programs and related services to individuals receiving benefits under Medicaid, including Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP)."

Now, the obvious most moronic-asinine question left is:

How can we let these people make so much money off Medicaid when Medicaid recipients can't even get proper health care?!?!?! ....hell, I can't even get proper health care and I WORK A JOB AND PAY FOR IT!