I'll run down some few stories for you today, but the commentary will be brief.
I'm going to come back later and run a blog check instead.
"Proposed Medicaid changes could cost Mass. $100m a year; Many low-income and disabled would lose out on services; rules may hurt universal-care push" by Alice Dembner/Boston Globe November 13, 2007
Far-reaching Medicaid changes proposed by the Bush administration could cost Massachusetts more than $100 million a year and make it harder for tens of thousands of low-income and disabled residents to get healthcare, according to state officials, analysts, and advocates.
The proposed federal regulations could also hurt efforts to enroll uninsured children in the Medicaid program, a critical part of the state's initiative to ensure that nearly all residents have health insurance.
The Bush administration has announced the changes one at a time since the start of the year, saying they are essential to curb abuses in the $346 billion healthcare program, which is funded by both the federal and state governments. About 50 million low-income and disabled Americans, including more than 1 million in Massachusetts, are served by Medicaid.
Congress has temporarily blocked two of the changes, but some others could go into effect by Jan. 1 despite opposition by the National Governors Association, hospital officials, and advocates in many states.
Federal funding that supports training new doctors would be cut. In addition, the proposed rules would reduce federal spending on rehabilitation for people with mental and physical disabilities, support services for schoolchildren with special needs, and hospital outpatient care for all Medicaid members. The moves could force Massachusetts to restrict some services - such as day pro grams for people with developmental disabilities - or pick up more of the cost.
Dennis Smith, director of the Center for Medicaid & State Operations in the Bush administration, said the state's view was mistaken:
"Over time, states have found different ways to shift their cost of Medicaid over to the federal government. It's our responsibility to push back [to ensure that payments are limited to] medically necessary services for Medicaid-eligible people."
He said states have stretched the definition of rehabilitation and have, for example, billed Medicaid for school construction under the guise of Medicaid care for children. He also said Medicaid money shouldn't be used to pay for care at hospitals that can be provided elsewhere:
"This is $11 billion [in savings] over five years. Federal Medicaid will spend $1.2 trillion over that five-year period. We're talking about less than 1 percent."
Yeah, but we've got billions upon billions to pass out to defense contractors -- with no strings.
Another proposed rule affects Medicaid services to schoolchildren getting special education and could cost Massachusetts up to $45 million a year. The change would prohibit use of federal funds to pay public school employees to help children and their families apply for Medicaid, help them find appropriate therapists, or bus them to or from school.
But we love our children in AmeriKa, right?
As long as they will go to war for Bush, huh?
The Bush administration has also proposed limiting federal coverage of outpatient services in hospitals, which could eliminate or reduce payments for a broad range of care, including physican services, dental care, physical therapy, and blood work.
Another rule would eliminate the $38 million in federal funding that helps pay for training more than 4,500 interns and residents in Massachusetts. That would force hospitals to find other ways to support these doctors, who serve many Medicaid patients.
So FUCK the POOR, huh?
I keep wondering when America is going to rise up and toss thees war-mongering fucks.
Ever?
Two other provisions would restrict how states can raise their share of Medicaid payments by limiting both taxes on healthcare providers and transfers among government agencies.
The administration can impose regulations without Congressional approval."
Sig Heil!!
Still think AmeriKa is a "democracy" and not a DICTATORSHIP?!
