Reacting to Complaints from States About Cut-Backs in Services, Bush to Revisit Changes in Medicaid Rules

[Guest guest]

 

-

 

!TheMulti-D

Monday, February 23, 2004 10:51 AM

Multi-D News Reacting to Complaints from States About Cut-Backs in Services, Bush to Revisit Changes in Medicaid Rules

 

February 23, 2004

NY TIMES

Bush to Revisit Changes in Medicaid RulesBy ROBERT PEARWASHINGTON, Feb. 22 ­ After strenuous protests from governors of both parties, the Bush administration said Sunday that it would reconsider tough new rules on the financing of Medicaid that could limit the states' ability to provide health care for millions of poor people.Tommy G. Thompson, the secretary of health and human services, conveyed the administration's decision to governors here for the winter meeting of the National Governors Association.Though formal sessions of the association focused on issues that cut across party lines, like Medicaid, education and highway construction, presidential politics dominated many conversations among governors.Democratic governors expressed alarm at the loss of jobs, especially those in manufacturing, and the growth of the federal budget deficit in the past three years, while Republicans insisted that the economy was bouncing back."President Bush does not appear to have an understanding of the pain caused by unemployment," said Gov. Tom Vilsack of Iowa, chairman of the Democratic Governors Association. Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm of Michigan, a Democrat, said Mr. Bush's tax cuts were not producing new jobs in her state.Gov. Bob Taft of Ohio, chairman of the Republican Governors Association, said: "Consumer confidence is up. The stock market is up. All economic indicators are moving in the right direction." Another Republican, Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts, tried to dispel the perception that his party saw the shift of service jobs from the United States to other countries as part of some global economic strategy. "We are concerned any time any job leaves our shores and goes somewhere else," Mr. Romney said.State officials say soaring Medicaid costs have put them in a fiscal vise, as revenue collections have been stagnant in recent years.Federal officials did not withdraw the proposed Medicaid rules but promised to consult governors and to solicit public comment for 60 days before enacting the restrictions.The restrictions would give federal officials sweeping new power to review state decisions on Medicaid spending and the sources of revenue used by states to pay their share of Medicaid costs.Medicaid provides health benefits to 50 million people a year and is financed jointly by the federal government and the states. But federal officials say states have used creative bookkeeping and other ploys to obtain large amounts of federal Medicaid money without paying their share.The proposed changes have touched off an uproar among state officials. Gov. Dirk Kempthorne of Idaho, a Republican who is chairman of the National Governors Association, said the federal government was imposing "new administrative requirements and new costs on the states."Gov. Ruth Ann Minner of Delaware, a Democrat, said, "We don't want all that extra paperwork."Gov. Phil Bredesen of Tennessee, a Democrat, said the federal government was now reneging on financial arrangements that it approved just a few years ago."The federal government ought to honor its commitments and certainly should not characterize these arrangements as cheating on the part of the states," Mr. Bredesen said in an interview.In a letter to the governors, Mr. Thompson, a former governor of Wisconsin, said he would work with them to avoid a confrontation over the president's Medicaid proposal."I intend to enter into consultations on the proposal with the states through the National Governors Association and the National Association of State Medicaid Directors," Mr. Thompson said. "Once those consultations are complete, I intend to republish the notice in the Federal Register and provide for a 60-day formal comment period."Many governors also raised questions about details of the new Medicare law, signed by President Bush in early December. Under the law, the federal government will assume some of the prescription drug costs now paid by states for low-income people entitled to both Medicaid and Medicare.That change will eventually save money for the states. But in the next few years, states expect to incur additional costs, as they determine who is eligible for federal subsidies intended to help low-income people pay for their medicines.Mr. Bush's latest budget request would reduce federal Medicaid payments to states for new computer systems to evaluate eligibility and to detect Medicaid fraud. On Sunday, a committee of the governors association approved a resolution opposing such cuts.Congress last year provided $20 billion in emergency financial relief to the states, which said they were experiencing the worst fiscal problems since World War II. Half the money was earmarked for Medicaid. The Medicaid money runs out June 30.Mr. Kempthorne said the governors association was "not advocating extension" of the temporary federal aid. But he said he hoped the Bush administration would give the states more discretion to decide who received what benefits under Medicaid.http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/23/politics/23GOVS.html?th= & pagewanted=print & position=

[Guest guest]

, " luckypig " <luckypig@i...>

wrote:

>

> -

>

> !TheMulti-D

> Monday, February 23, 2004 10:51 AM

> Multi-D News Reacting to Complaints from States About

Cut-Backs in Services, Bush to Revisit Changes in Medicaid Rules

>

>

> February 23, 2004

> NY TIMES

>

> Bush to Revisit Changes in Medicaid Rules

> By ROBERT PEAR

>

In my opinion, they are all evil. Democrats, Republicans, all of them

are part of the problem.

We used to be able to deduct all of our health care costs including

our health care insurance. That all stopped.

I firmly believe that if the government allowed a tax credit, not a

deduction, for all of our medical expenses, there would be far less

medicaid.

There are lots and lots of people who can't afford to buy medical

insurance, but if they knew they would get a credit off the bottom

line, they would purchase health insurance, knowing that it would

cost them nothing. As it is, they opt for medicaid, and we all pay

for that.

That would free up medicaid for those who pay no income tax.

Now, I firmly believe that my thought isn't unique, that it hasn't

been thought of by one of our bright Senators, or Congressmen. I'm

sure it has, but not one of them would dare state the thought

publicly.

That's why they are all part of the problem. They could care less

about any of their constituents. All they look at is how much less

money there would be for their pet projects, and pork barrell

spending.

We need to dissolve this government like our founding fathers

recommended, and start over.

Arianne