|
Most people would assume that the federal government's possible addition of $360 million to Virginia's Medicaid support might help mitigate some of the horrendous cuts planned for it in the next two years? Nope. Not if the House of Delegates budget becomes law.
Instead of using the money that would flow from President Obama's proposed six-month Medicaid extension - the very Medicaid money Bob McDonnell talked about when he went to meet with the state's congressional delegation earlier this week - for health care, the House has other ideas.
The House budget allocates $100 million of the potential $350 million for the Virginia Tobacco Commission, $82 million for a three percent bonus for state employees, $75 million for higher education, and $37 million for K-12 education. Only $38 million of the possible $360 million Federal Medical Assistance Percentages Medicaid fundind would go to health care.
At least, the Democratic-controlled State Senate has taken a different approach to possible new Medicaid money. Its budget allocates any additional funds for the program itself, as Congress would expect.
|
