We learn over at Dome that North Carolina Medicaid is facing a possible $250 million shortfall this year. Certain cuts may be forthcoming. What has caused the problem?
The shortage is the result of a combination of factors including increased enrollment and difficulty getting federal approval for cost-saving measures included in this year's Medicaid budget.
They do not mention the relaxation of eligibility standards in recent years.
But we also learn two more unpleasant facts. First, Medicaid is the fastest growing part of the state budget. And second, the state's own health department has found that Obamacare would make North Carolina Medicaid costs even higher.
One of North Carolina's United States Senators-- Greensboro's own Kay Hagan-- has previously tried to reassure us that Obamacare would trigger a flood of federal Medicaid dollars to cascade down to North Carolina. But our own health department-- part of a Democratic administration-- apparently sees things differently. It is no wonder that Hagan's approval rating is now only 29%.
I cannot help but think that the state of North Carolina today is much different than the state to which we moved back in 1994.
The State of North Carolina, like my own is probably home to many who are poorer than they were in 1994.
Have eligibilty standards been relaxed?--or have more people qualified because they are in desperate straits--unemployed, hours cut-back etc.? Have you been grocery shopping lately? We are in a recession--on the brink of a depression.
And is there a "so-called" nonprofit HMO managing NC's Medicaid? Wonder what salaries those execs are making?
Shuffling more people into Medicaid is not the answer to our national health care problems. We need expanded and improved Medicare-for-all. Tell the Democrats and Republicans to take the insurers out of the mix. Adopt a single payer plan--Stop 45,000 needless death a year. Buy drugs in bulk. Save lives, save money, save the US economy.
The proven model is in place. Medicare-for-all is shovel-ready!!
Posted by: H. Seiler KY | January 30, 2010 at 03:31 PM
H. Seiler, I agree with you that more people are needy in our state than in 1994. But eligibility standards have also been relaxed. We do not have an HMO managing Medicaid in North Carolina. While I disagree with your solution, I appreciate your comments.
Posted by: Joe Guarino | January 30, 2010 at 03:57 PM
I saw the Carolina Journal article (about Medicaid) online yesterday. It's gonna be a mess.
Forget "gonna be". It's a mess now (because eligibility was relaxed).
Joe, remember when I was blogging my heart out about the "disproportionate share" scam a few years back . . . when management and oversight of that program were "out-sourced" by the state (much like happened in the mental health fiasco) . . . and a hodge-podge of "non-profit" hospitals (led by the well-connected-to Raleigh executives at CMC in Charlotte) bilked Medicaid to the tune of between a half-billion to a billion dollars?
The story barely got blurbs in the state's MSM, and even the blurbs were quickly buried. And NONE of the progressive bloggers (Cone & company) in this blogosphere even blinked. Mary was a "wack-job".
(For a "crazy", "booger-eating moron", Mary sure is doing a lot of "I told you-all so's" lately. Who are the "wack-jobs" now?)
And when the DpS case was "settled" by the Feds for pennies-on-the-dollar, not one suit went to jail.
As for Obamacare allowing the Federal dollars to flow down to N.C. like manna from heaven, as best I can tell, cheerleader Kay was a "really cheap date" compared to some of the more savvy Congressman and Senators openly flaunting their bribes. Comparatively speaking, N.C. got crapola.
"The proven model is in place"??? Huh??? Not here, not now.
Posted by: Dr. Mary Johnson | January 30, 2010 at 05:36 PM
Mary, this is a huge problem for our state that impacts directly what taxpayers are having to pay-- now and in the future. It also creates an impression of a state that cannot live within its means, which sends a terrible signal to prospective employers. I am afraid our problems as a state are going to snowball unless there is a political change.
Posted by: Joe Guarino | January 30, 2010 at 05:43 PM
Joe,
In this state and nation, we do need a program that can provide medical care access to the indigent and low-income people of our society. This medical care access does not need to be comprehensive as the progressives would prefer. What is needed is a slimmed down program that provides for essential and preventive care, without all the expensive and elective coverages, such as abortion, plastic surgery (with exception of cases such as burn victims), etc. Government has successfully loaded-up insurance programs mandating coverage for procedures that are not essential or wanted. But, we do need some basic program that is funded by taxpayers. I do not know what the answers are, but something is definitely needed. Congress should be addressing this need, and not their comprehensive medical care reform that they insist upon. They need to implement some basic reforms such as tort reform, portable coverage across state lines, etc. for the general population, then provide a program for those who can not afford or have access to basic health care.
Posted by: Stormy | January 31, 2010 at 11:30 AM
Dr, Mary, I agree that Medicare for all is not the answer. We do not need it. Medicare is a government program that has huge cost overruns and will eventually bankrupt the nation. Some simple private health carrier reforms would be sufficient for the vast majority of citizens. Moving everyone into Medicare does not make anything better. Other than the military, name one governmental organization that is efficient and effective, and not bloated and deficient.
Medicaid is the vehicle that could be used to provide access to those in need, as long as politicians do not pollute it. The SCHIPS program is a good example of how the politicians screw something up. The program was intended to provide access to children of low income families, but the politicians have slowly expanded the definitions of "children" and "low income" to the point that many families that could buy private insurance are qualifying for SCHIPS. There was a good example of this a few years ago about a family in Baltimore that was scamming the system. They had a pretty nice place to live, they drive nice cars, and their children went to private school, but they qualified for SCHIPS. In essence, the politicians have been moving toward socialized medicine for years just by expanding eligibility for this program, and of course, teh states have to pay for it.
Posted by: Stormy | January 31, 2010 at 11:40 AM
Stormy, I agree we probably need a Medicaid-like program at the state level. At the federal level, I think it is probably unconstitutional. But at the state level, it needs to be much more modest than it is; and the whole concept needs to be revamped.
The combined impact of SCHIPS and Medicaid has meant that huge percentages of children are no longer covered by their parents' insurance. Instead, they are covered by charity programs.
Posted by: Joe Guarino | January 31, 2010 at 12:59 PM