Monday, February 16, 2004

U.S. Nears Clash With Governors on Medicaid Cost
Front page New York Times story - "The Bush administration is headed for a confrontation with states over the financing of Medicaid, the nation's largest health program, as federal officials crack down on arrangements used by many states to shift costs to the federal government. The federal action comes as states, struggling with severe fiscal problems, are cutting benefits and restricting eligibility for the program, which serves 50 million low-income people each year. Federal officials and auditors contend that states use creative bookkeeping and other ploys to obtain large amounts of federal Medicaid money without paying their share. Washington and the states split Medicaid costs, with the federal government paying 50 percent and sometimes more than 70 percent. But in many cases, the Bush administration says, states have paid their share with 'phantom dollars,' instead of state or local tax revenues." [Viewing New York Times resources requires registration, which is free].  
  

Major changes ahead in mental-health care (Montana)
Story at the Daily Inter Lake - "For years, mental health consumer advocates have urged consumer involvement in managing the Medicaid dollars that control their lives. On Wednesday in Kalispell, state officials, service providers and consumers of mental health services met to begin to figure out how to make the idea work. Passed by the Legislature, SB347 jump-started a bureaucratic overhaul. The renovation aims to make department officials, consumers and providers partners in dividing up and managing limited money for mental health services..."