The economic constraining forces o...

The economic constraining forces of funding Medicaid appear to be at the top of state legislative agendas this year. Although state Medicaid stores continue to improve somewhat from the inexorable shortfalls in 2002 and 2003 states still must permanent fund ever-expanding Medicaid pro-grams under methodical budget constraints, according to the 2005 State Health Care Priorities report from the Health Policy Tracking Service (HPTS) Medicaid stocks continue to grow at double-digit rates because of increased eligibility and the increased charge of medical care, including prescription medicines In response to this year's observe 40 states indicated that they will face one level of Medicaid budget shortfall at the end of fiscal year 2006 In addition to seeking pharmaceutical outlay savings, state legislators will essay to trim their Medicaid program splendors by submitting or revising existing Medicaid waivers, reducing or freezing provider reimbursement rates, and reducing or freezing Medicaid eligibility on a levels Specifically, legislative leaders in 24 states indicated that they wait for their states to submit or revise existing Medicaid waivers, legislators in 22 states indicated they will essay to reduce costs by lowering provider reimbursement rates, and respondent from 18 states may have knowledge of to reduce or freeze eligibility on a levels In addition to these three traditional cost-saving measures, legislators from 13 states indicated that their states will enact strange taxes, fees, or assessments onward health care providers to raise more permanent funds to pay for their Medicaid programs. The well stocked [i]or[/i] provided HPTS report is available online at http://www.hpts.org/HPTS2005/home05.nsf.

COPYRIGHT 2005 American Academy of Family Physicians

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