That statistic alone has been a hot issue in this year's governor's race. One Missouri couple struggles with health care issues every day. They say it's a fight to get the health care they need; a battle Missouri's future governors are trying to change.

Phillip Brown is a Medicaid patient. He's one of many Missourians looking to the gubernatorial candidates for help.

"It makes me feel kinda sad, it bothers me that I can't get nobody trying to help me out the condition I'm in," Brown said.

Four months ago, the Columbia resident had a stroke.

"When they told me I had stroke it freaked me out I didn't know," Brown said.

His stroke made it difficult to walk, he has trouble with balance, and he struggles with his memory. But his biggest struggle is with Medicaid.

"As soon as they find out you have Medicaid they say they can't work with you," said Brown's fiance Amie Friel.

Friel quickly discovered the therapy he needed is not covered by Medicaid.

"Just accept the fact that ya know we have no dental coverage, no kind of therapy for mental health issues," Friel said.

Brown gets free therapy at the University of Missouri's School of Health Professions from a program that runs on donations. Brown and his finance realize without it he would have no therapy at all.

"It took me a long time but I'm glad there's people out there who care though and want to help you out," Brown said.

Brown is grateful for the help, but his Medicaid coverage still leaves gaps in the other services he needs.

"He has an infection in teeth where all his teeth have to go," Friel said. "Its $7,000 in dental work. We can't afford that."

Brown is forced to live with limited health care, a sacrifice that impacts his life and ability to recover.

Days before the election Brown and his fiance can only hope Missouri's next governor will the fix the problems

"Well I liked to see more benefits for the people without pause," Brown said. "I want to see benefits."

But for now its just one step at a time for this couple.

KOMU talked to both candidates Kenny Hulshof and Jay Nixon about their plans to fix the problems Brown and other Missourians face with health care. Here's what they had to say:

"It's portable, in other words Missourians can take care of their health care plans, and so if they move from one job to another, they continue to have their same coverage," said Republican gubernatorial candidate Kenny Hulshof. "We help those who lost their Medicare coverage some years ago by helping them with premiums. We encourage wellness and prevention with health saving accounts for that population. We also provide tax incentives for those on the next rung of our economic ladder to help them purchase health insurance. But then for businesses, large or small again its called Healthmax. Healthy Missouri access exchange for the rest of those Missouri businesses."

"So as we sit here as a state we're clearly heading in the wrong direction in health care," said Democrat gubernatorial candidate Jay Nixon. "That's why I've laid out a clear affordable plan to make a difference on day one. We'll restore the cuts, we then focus on kids the 150,000 kids up 44 percent in the last three years. We have a plan that will help clearly cover them. A third of them are already eligible. The restoration will cover a significant amount more and for those that aren't covered in those plans we allow their parents or the single parents to buy into the SCHIP program."