Governors Fight For Medicaid

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http://www.denverpost.com/search/ci_8346863

Governors fight for Medicaid
Proposed federal rules would shift more health costs to states, they say.
By Robert Pear
The New York Times
Article Last Updated: 02/24/2008 12:50:21 AM MST


WASHINGTON — Governors of both parties strongly objected Saturday to a half-dozen new federal Medicaid regulations that they said would shift billions of dollars in costs to the states, forcing them to consider cutbacks in services.

The rules, scheduled to take effect in the next few months, would reduce federal payments for public hospitals, teaching hospitals and services for the disabled, among others.

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But governors said the Bush administration was unilaterally reshaping Medicaid in ways that would harm some of their most vulnerable citizens. Moreover, they said, the rules are taking effect at a time when the national economic slowdown is cutting into state tax revenues.

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One of the rules would ban the use of federal Medicaid money to help pay for the training of doctors, a use that has been allowed since the inception of Medicaid more than 40 years ago. Another would set new limits on Medicaid payments to hospitals and nursing homes operated by states, cities, counties and other units of government. A third rule would limit Medicaid coverage of rehabilitation services for people with disabilities, including serious mental illnesses.

Please call your governor. If s/he is one fighting the cuts, please thank them. Thanks are very important.. let's them know they;re being watched. You can be sure they are getting flack from the RW if they are fighting these cuts! They need to hear from us.

Also, it wouldn't hurt at all to call your reps on this!

these are TOLL FREE numbers to the capitol hill switchboard
1 [phone]
1 ( 800) 459-1887
1 [phone]
1 [phone]
1 [phone]
1 [phone]
1-[phone]

Thanks for your help on this!

Enough with the cuts, already!