Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report Highlights Medicaid Developments In Georgia, Illinois, South Carolina
Georgia: Gov. Sonny Perdue's (R) proposed fiscal year 2009 state budget would increase physician payments for Medicaid and PeachCare, the state's version of SCHIP, by $154.8 million, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. The reimbursement rate increase, which has the support of businesses and county government groups, is the first since 2003, according to budget documents. Under the proposed budget, the physician payment rate would increase by 2.5%. Hospitals, home health agencies and nursing homes also would receive increases. However, physicians and hospitals say the proposed increase would not be enough to address their losses. The Georgia Hospital Association said its goal is to bring Medicaid payments in line with the cost of providing care by 2011 (Miller, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 2/12).
Illinois: Illinois Comptroller Dan Hynes on Monday released a "special report" on state finances that indicates Medicaid payments to doctors could be further delayed if sales- and corporate-income-tax collections continue to decrease as expected, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. According to the report, further delay in payments could lead providers to stop treating Medicaid beneficiaries. Hynes said, "I don't think there's any more latitude in terms of pushing [Medicaid] bills off," adding, "Providers are starting to say, 'We've had enough.' They're starting to walk away" (Fusco, Chicago Sun-Times, 2/12).
South Carolina: The South Carolina Board of Economic Advisors on Monday estimated that state revenues will increase by 3.2% next year, but the funds likely will not be enough to cover the rising cost of health care for low-income residents and other programs, the Columbia State reports (O'Connor, Columbia State, 2/12). Gov. Mark Sanford (R) has proposed cutting $326 million, or 4.6%, from the current $7 billion budget, including $22 million from Partners for Healthy Children, the state's version of SCHIP. He also has proposed requiring all Medicaid beneficiaries to switch to generic drugs to save $16 million. The governor's office defends the cuts as necessary to sustain the Medicaid program. However, according to state House Ways and Means Committee Chair Dan Cooper (R), the spending gap could be closed by tapping the state Department of Health and Human Services' $100 million budget surplus or the state Commerce Department's $90 million budget surplus, rather than cutting funding (AP/Augusta Chronicle, 2/11). Reprinted with kind permission from http://www.kaisernetwork.org. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at http://www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation© 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
Kaiser Raport zilnic de politicã de sãnãtate evidenþiazã Medicaid evoluþiile din Georgia, Illinois, Carolina de Sud - Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report Highlights Medicaid Developments In Georgia, Illinois, South Carolina - articole medicale engleza - startsanatate