State briefs 9/24/04

Missourians' participation in HMOs falling

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.-- Missourians' enrollment in employer-sponsored HMOs dropped more than 20 percent last year, continuing a five-year downward trend, according to a report released Thursday by the state Insurance Department. At the same time, however, the percentage of Missourians who lacked insurance fell slightly. Eleven percent of Missourians were uninsured in 2003, compared to 15.6 percent nationally, and 11.6 percent in Missouri during 2002.

Secretary candidates attend first debate

CLAYTON, Mo. -- Secretary of State candidates Robin Carnahan and Catherine Hanaway discussed election reforms and initiatives to foster small business during a candidates' forum Thursday in suburban St. Louis. Both Carnahan, a Democrat, and the Republican Hanaway, have made those two issues key planks of their platforms. Most of the questions at the forum, sponsored by the Clayton Chamber of Commerce, focused on how they would implement their proposals.

Rend Lake water district has significant problems

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- One of Southern Illinois' biggest water districts has "significant deficiencies in virtually all aspects of its management," according to an audit released Thursday of the Rend Lake Conservancy District. The district, which oversees the water supply for 160,000 people, lacked such basics as a budget, written job descriptions for employees and a systematic way to bill and monitor some water customers.

-- From wire reports