Lawmakers Discussing Dropping Health Care Program — Health Reform and Texas | The Texas Tribune
Posted by GruntDoc on 6th November 2010
Some Republican lawmakers — still reveling in Tuesday’s statewide election sweep — are proposing an unprecedented solution to the state’s estimated $25 billion budget shortfall: dropping out of the federal Medicaid program.
via Lawmakers Discussing Dropping Health Care Program — Health Reform and Texas | The Texas Tribune.
Hmmm.
Welcome to entitlement reality, Texas-style. Currently 20Bn/year and going to go up with expanded eligibility, the article does say the Feds pay 60%, but doesn’t say: 1) it’s temporary, then the Federal contribution goes down or away, and 2) the Federal component doesn’t come from magical money fairies, it’s money takes from taxpayers then funneled back into a particular program.
Medicaid is not loved or respected in Medicine. Decreasing reimbursements coupled to increasing requirements mean it’s at a minimum inefficient for both patients and providers.
I’m not against kicking Medicaid to the curb PROVIDING the state has some kind of replacement program. Which I’m not sanguine about.
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