Less Options for North Carolina to Contain Medicaid Costs Under Obamacare/ Stimulus?

The Medicaid leviathan already is placing an enormous strain on the state of North Carolina's budget, and it will get considerably worse as Obamacare takes full effect.

But there is another major issue of which I was previously unaware.  Both Obamacare and the stimulus bill limit the options for states like North Carolina to limit their liabilities.  It appears the Democrats in Washington inserted language to assure that the states would not become more stringent with respect to eligibility:

Unfortunately, states have lost considerable flexibility to reduce Medicaid’s burden on their budgets. As a condition for receiving the additional federal dollars, both the stimulus bill and PPACA contain maintenance-of-effort (MOE) provisions that prohibit states from changing eligibility levels.”

If the states still can lawfully limit benefits and eliminate specific Medicaid programs, those might be a couple of options to contain costs.  But another option is to reduce reimbursement levels, which will decrease the number of physicians and other providers willing to participate in the program.

It appears that the national Democrats rigged the system so that beneficiaries are dependent on the program permanently; and so that taxpayers at the state level are much more vulnerable to tax increases.

 

 

Comments

[bubba]

"It appears that the national Democrats rigged the system so that beneficiaries are dependent on the program permanently; and so that taxpayers at the state level are much more vulnerable to tax increases."

Imagine that!

How totally out of character for Dems/Lefties/"Progressives"!

[Joe Guarino]

Yes, Bubba, that is how it tends to work. We ought not be surprised.

[Dr. Mary Johnson]

But . . . but . . . but . . . it's ALL for the children!

[Joe Guarino]

Indeed, Mary. Perhaps you heard the report today that the Governor is getting ready to cut Medicaid reimbursement by 4%. Makes sense if you risk cutting off the federal gravy train by tightening eligibility standards.

And so, for those of us who choose to continue to participate, we will continue to see Medicaid families with their cell phones and late model vehicles.

[cheripickr]

For my best Roch impersonation, shouldn't that be "fewer" options?

[Jon A Firebaugh]

CP, I couldn't tell the difference. Can you do Ed Cone too?