Senate GOP leaders unveiled their $27.3 billion budget proposal which slashes hospital Medicaid payments—$279.5 million in state and federal funds—even further than the Governor's budget proposed $77.9 million reductions. The Senate budget was introduced following the announcement that the state’s April revenue numbers were far worse than expected, and that this current fiscal year’s revenue shortfall had increased to $3 billion. The Senate budget proposal does not include any new funds for Medicaid modernization, and eliminates all funding for:
Outpatient disproportionate share
Medical and health professional education
Community access fund
Critical access hospitals
Trauma centers
Obstetrical and neonatal services
Burn centers
HAP Memo 09-43provides additional information, including details on the total state and federal Medicaid funds that would be impacted by the Senate budget as compared to the Governor’s proposed budget and HAP's advocacy efforts.
Looking Ahead
HAP’s advocacy efforts will be focused on achieving a state budget package that preserves patient access to quality health care and keeps hospitals, as the state’s health care safety net, financially healthy and able to sustain jobs and services. In addition, HAP will continue efforts with the administration and the legislature to address the Mcare Fund and expansion of health coverage for the state’s uninsured children and adults.
HAP’s HAP's Advertising Campaign: HAP has launched a full-scale advertising campaign to restore the proposed budget cuts that includes the following:
