Fwd: [MS_Community] Fw: Disturbing Medicaid Development in New Hampshire

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In a message dated 02/21/2004 8:06:16 AM Eastern Standard Time, jayneadler@... writes:

-----Forwarded Message-----From: Families USA <HealthAction@...>Sent: Feb 20, 2004 2:02 PMjayneadler@...Subject: Disturbing Medicaid Development in New HampshireDear Jayne,We hate to end the week with bad news, but we feel compelled to sharewith you some new information about Medicaid.The Medicaid block grant fight has reemerged this year in a verydifferent form from last year's fight (see Background below for moredetails). The President's fiscal year 2005 budget request included areference to the block grant-plan the Administration pushed last year,but it did not include a specific legislative proposal. However, allsigns indicate that the Administration is moving forward with theirplans to block-grant the program--but instead of trying to get a billthrough Congress right away, they're taking this fight to the states.Today the Nashua Telegraph reported that Governor Benson (R-NH), inexchange for some $55 million in federal Medicaid funds this year, hasasked Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy to make NewHampshire the first state to block-grant its Medicaid program. (Toread the article, click here.)Presumably, the Administration would dothis by approving a Section 1115 waiver that would establish a globalcap on federal Medicaid funding for the state. We don't know yet whatelse the waiver would allow New Hampshire to do with its Medicaidprogram.http://www.familiesusa.org/site/R?i=ZkGkSKHetSoDRYvcWDDmjg..Governor Benson would like New Hampshire to be the first state to getsuch a waiver from the Administration. Unfortunately, it's unlikelythat New Hampshire will be the last state to do this. We have heardthat other states, such as California and Florida, may be seekingwaivers to "reform Medicaid" in their states as well. If you hear of asimilar plan in your state, please let us know by sending an e-mail toMedicaid@.... mailto:Medicaid@...Background: Last year, the President included a legislative proposalin his fiscal year (fy) 2004 budget to block-grant Medicaid and thenworked with the National Governors Association (NGA) to try and gettheir support for his proposal. After several months of negotiationand lots of input from state advocates, the governors decided not tosupport this measure, and the deal fell apart. (For more information,see our Medicaid Action Center.)http://www.familiesusa.org/site/R?i=fodP7XLxpY0DRYvcWDDmjg..We'll be sending more information soon about how the block grant fightis shaping up this year. Stay tuned!To forward this message to a friend, click here.http://www.familiesusa.org/site/R?i=UIRHBfZb3WQDRYvcWDDmjg..To unsubscribe from all future e-mail, paste the following URL into your browser:http://www.familiesusa.org/site/CO?i=xj3rh4Vkk1quq-weqsMDlo8uFizeWeKm