Per USA Today: Government anti-poverty programs that have grown to meet the needs of recession victims now serve a record one in six Americans and are continuing to expand. More than 50 million Americans are on Medicaid, the federal-state program aimed principally at the poor, a survey of state data by USA TODAY shows. That’s [...]
- Aug23
Less Access, Longer Lines Coming for Medicaid Enrollees
Per today’s N&O, it appears Medicaid service providers in NC can expect another reduction in reimbursement rates: In the current state budget, Perdue and the legislature agreed that Medicaid reimbursement rates would be reduced by $26.6 million or 1.35 percent, if the state found it necessary to close a gap in federal Medicaid funding. Perdue’s [...]
- Aug05
Feds Move Closer to Bailing Out Irresponsible States
In my wrap-up of North Carolina’s 2010-11 state budget, I mentioned that state lawmakers were hopeful for hundreds of millions of additional federal dollars to help NC cover its Medicaid costs. It looks like the feds are close to granting that wish. The U.S. Senate voted 61-38 today to break a filibuster blocking a measure [...]
- Jun28
State Budget to be Finalized This Week?
The N&O has some details about a tentative budget plan agreed upon by state lawmakers: Democratic lawmakers tentatively agreed on a final budget deal Saturday that would eliminate a tuition subsidy for some out-of-state athletes and require a 1 percent cut if extra federal money isn’t delivered. The agreement lays the groundwork for lawmakers to [...]
- Jun16
Will NC Budget Writers Come Up With a Back-Up Plan?
Gov. Perdue is calling for a back-up budget plan to be drafted in case federal Medicaid dollars don’t materialize. Congress could blow a $500 million hole in the $18.9 billion state budget that legislators have worked on for months, adding more uncertainty to funding plans for public agencies and schools. The $500 million question mark [...]
- Apr21
State Health Care Funds Drained by New Federal Health Care Law
According to a Kaiser Health News report: “The new health care law could shift billions of dollars from cash-strapped states to the federal government by changing the way Medicaid prescription drug rebates are treated, according to state and industry officials and an examination of Medicaid spending data.” Democrats included a provision in the health care [...]
- Apr02
Safest Bet Ever
In this article, economist Don Boudreaux reminds us of the federal government’s past cost estimates for health care “reform” efforts, and issues a challenge to current bureaucrats to put their money where their Obamacare estimates are: When Medicare was created in 1965, its champions predicted that, by 1990, taxpayers would be spending $12 billion annually [...]
- Feb24
President’s New Health Care Plan Creates Poor Starting Point for Bipartisanship
The Health Care Summit kicks off tomorrow and President Obama already unveiled his new health care proposal earlier this week. The Summit is meant to be bipartisan meeting between Republicans and Democrats and an opportunity to find common ground and share reform ideas. That sounds lovely. However it will certainly be difficult to find any [...]
- Feb03
North Carolina’s Medicaid Program Sinking the State’s Budget
North Carolina’s Medicaid system is in a deep financial hole, a story that is gaining wide coverage (see recent article in Business Week). The state is over budget on Medicaid by more than $250 million, putting legislators in a serious bind, as the program was budgeted to cut more than $500 million in services this [...]
- Dec11
Senate, tread lightly – as states reach their maximum healthcare cost capacity
A recent push by Senate Democrats in support of the government reform effort is to step away from the public option as proposed and put more emphasis on expanding programs like Medicare and Medicaid, by adjusting enrollment requirements and making benefits available to more people. Supporters of this plan claim such a move would be [...]
- Dec02
More Money, Please!
Governor Bev Perdue is making a trip to Washington, DC today to petition for more federal funds for North Carolina. Instead of working to find better ways to cut spending, target waste and inefficiency in government, and provide tax relief for North Carolinians struggling in the recession – our Governor has decided to take the [...]
- Dec01
Short-changed on Medicaid Spending Projections
WRAL reports Medicaid spending in North Carolina is $150 million over budget in the first quarter of this fiscal year. The reason for this, the Governor claims, is that over 8000 more people than expected signed up for Medicaid this year while unemployment still remains high and tax revenues are low. Hmm… so the government [...]
- 1Oct20
Mandated Medicaid Expansion – Sustainable?
The Finance Committee health care reform bill would extend Medicaid eligibility to 133% of the Federal Poverty Level (the HELP Committee bill would extend it to 150% FPL). What does a 44.2% enrollment increase mean for the state’s Medicaid program which is expected to lose $1.5 billion this year from 2009 budget cuts, will receive [...]
- 1Oct14
Who Really Pays When Government Takes Over Health Care?
The N&O published an interesting article today. An ex-insurance executive changes careers because he was tired of negotiating lower pay rates for doctors. Years later he sees the government health care reform plan will have the same effect. Doctors, not insurance companies, will face the greatest loss; and when doctors lose, patients lose. It’s the [...]