Monday, July 25, 2005
Medicaid called "the 800-pound gorilla that's been eating our lunch"
[David Klepper, "Medicaid spending under scrutiny," The Kansas City Star, 24 July 2005.
John Hanna, "Medicaid issue looming," The Topeka Capital-Journal, 25 July 2005.
All of the sudden, Medicaid is making headlines. Either this means that Kansas policymakers are serious about tackling the issue next session or this is just something to talk about over the summer when nothing will be done:
The state’s new Health Policy Authority is looking to streamline the program with hope of finding savings by combining the state’s medical programs and purchasing power under a single umbrella. Gov. Kathleen Sebelius is pushing for more flexibility from Washington, and Senate President Steve Morris has formed a committee to study what he calls a Medicaid crisis.
“Medicaid is the most severe problem we have, bar none,” Morris said. “It’s the 800-pound gorilla that’s been eating our lunch, and it could conceivably eat every dollar we have in the state budget."
The state now spends nearly $2 billion a year on health care, more than three times the amount it did 10 years ago. Even with the economy showing signs of health, Medicaid costs continue to climb, even as Congress plans to cut its share of Medicaid by $10 billion over the next five years.
"Every governor in the country is trying to grapple with this rapidly growing part of the budget," Sebelius said.
Among the ideas right now:
- Reduce eligibility or institute a copay.
- Increase prevention efforts to curb the health problems most to blame for rising costs: smoking, heart disease and obesity.
- Work on making federal Medicaid rules more flexible.
- Go after expenses like administrative costs and Medicaid fraud.
[Matthew Hisrich, "Staying the Course: Medicaid Reform in Kansas," The Flint Hills Center for Public Policy, February 2004.]
[David Klepper, "Medicaid spending under scrutiny," The Kansas City Star, 24 July 2005.
John Hanna, "Medicaid issue looming," The Topeka Capital-Journal, 25 July 2005.
All of the sudden, Medicaid is making headlines. Either this means that Kansas policymakers are serious about tackling the issue next session or this is just something to talk about over the summer when nothing will be done:
The state’s new Health Policy Authority is looking to streamline the program with hope of finding savings by combining the state’s medical programs and purchasing power under a single umbrella. Gov. Kathleen Sebelius is pushing for more flexibility from Washington, and Senate President Steve Morris has formed a committee to study what he calls a Medicaid crisis.
“Medicaid is the most severe problem we have, bar none,” Morris said. “It’s the 800-pound gorilla that’s been eating our lunch, and it could conceivably eat every dollar we have in the state budget."
The state now spends nearly $2 billion a year on health care, more than three times the amount it did 10 years ago. Even with the economy showing signs of health, Medicaid costs continue to climb, even as Congress plans to cut its share of Medicaid by $10 billion over the next five years.
"Every governor in the country is trying to grapple with this rapidly growing part of the budget," Sebelius said.
Among the ideas right now:
- Reduce eligibility or institute a copay.
- Increase prevention efforts to curb the health problems most to blame for rising costs: smoking, heart disease and obesity.
- Work on making federal Medicaid rules more flexible.
- Go after expenses like administrative costs and Medicaid fraud.
[Matthew Hisrich, "Staying the Course: Medicaid Reform in Kansas," The Flint Hills Center for Public Policy, February 2004.]
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