Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Beshear To Ask Lawmakers To Shift Medicaid Budget
KENTUCKY....
At a news conference with several top Democrats who control the House, including House Speaker Greg Stumbo of Prestonsburg and budget chairman Rick Rand of Bedford, Governor Steve Beshear said Wednesday that he will ask lawmakers to shift $166.5 million from next year's Medicaid budget into the current fiscal year. The move would allow Kentucky to draw more federal matching money for Medicaid from federal stimulus funds. The stimulus funds expire June 30th, which is also the end of the current fiscal year. Beshear says, if nothing is done, Kentucky’s $6 billion-a-year Medicaid program could wind up as much as $600 million short this year. Beshear said payments to health care providers who see Medicaid patients would fall by 30 percent if the General Assembly does not approve his proposal. The federal-state health plan for the poor and disabled serves more than 800,000 people.
At a news conference with several top Democrats who control the House, including House Speaker Greg Stumbo of Prestonsburg and budget chairman Rick Rand of Bedford, Governor Steve Beshear said Wednesday that he will ask lawmakers to shift $166.5 million from next year's Medicaid budget into the current fiscal year. The move would allow Kentucky to draw more federal matching money for Medicaid from federal stimulus funds. The stimulus funds expire June 30th, which is also the end of the current fiscal year. Beshear says, if nothing is done, Kentucky’s $6 billion-a-year Medicaid program could wind up as much as $600 million short this year. Beshear said payments to health care providers who see Medicaid patients would fall by 30 percent if the General Assembly does not approve his proposal. The federal-state health plan for the poor and disabled serves more than 800,000 people.# posted by Homer Owens @ 10:46 PM 
