Congress faces growing health care crisis in Puerto Rico
Source: The Hill
BY NATHANIEL WEIXEL - 11/19/17 07:00 AM EST
Puerto Rico’s Medicaid funding crisis is deepening, adding yet another issue for Congress to deal with in what is sure to be a hectic December.
Hurricane Maria caused serious damage to Puerto Rico’s health-care system, and none of the federal disaster relief money to date has been earmarked for the Medicaid program.
A $44 billion supplemental payment request from the White House on Friday said the administration was “aware” that Puerto Rico needed Medicaid assistance, but it put the onus on Congress to act.
Efforts to provide the money through legislation have failed so far. Advocates and lawmakers are now eying the upcoming year-end spending bill as a solution, given that the bill may become a “Christmas tree” loaded up with policy provisions.
Read more: http://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/360971-congress-faces-growing-health-care-crisis-in-puerto-rico
