Governors Fight For Medicaid

[bobbolink]

http://www.denverpost.com/search/ci_8346863

Governors fight for Medicaid
Proposed federal rules would shift more health costs to states, they say.
By Robert Pear
The New York Times
Article Last Updated: 02/24/2008 12:50:21 AM MST


WASHINGTON — Governors of both parties strongly objected Saturday to a half-dozen new federal Medicaid regulations that they said would shift billions of dollars in costs to the states, forcing them to consider cutbacks in services.

The rules, scheduled to take effect in the next few months, would reduce federal payments for public hospitals, teaching hospitals and services for the disabled, among others.

(edit)
But governors said the Bush administration was unilaterally reshaping Medicaid in ways that would harm some of their most vulnerable citizens. Moreover, they said, the rules are taking effect at a time when the national economic slowdown is cutting into state tax revenues.

(edit)
One of the rules would ban the use of federal Medicaid money to help pay for the training of doctors, a use that has been allowed since the inception of Medicaid more than 40 years ago. Another would set new limits on Medicaid payments to hospitals and nursing homes operated by states, cities, counties and other units of government. A third rule would limit Medicaid coverage of rehabilitation services for people with disabilities, including serious mental illnesses.

Please call your governor. If s/he is one fighting the cuts, please thank them. Thanks are very important.. let's them know they;re being watched. You can be sure they are getting flack from the RW if they are fighting these cuts! They need to hear from us.

Also, it wouldn't hurt at all to call your reps on this!

these are TOLL FREE numbers to the capitol hill switchboard
1 [phone]
1 ( 800) 459-1887
1 [phone]
1 [phone]
1 [phone]
1 [phone]
1-[phone]

Thanks for your help on this!

Enough with the cuts, already!

[eShirl]

1. this is important! lives are at stake!

thanks for posting

[bobbolink]

5. Thank you! Please pass this around to eveyone you know, and plead with them

to write and call.

the more noise about this the better.

:hi:

[Faygo Kid]

2. Bush failed to destroy the social safety net with a frontal assault. This is the back door way.

Cut the ability of social programs to carry out their responsibilities. Shrink government spending programs on the poor, young, old, middle class to the size of a bathtub, and send it down the drain.

That's Bush's strategy between now and 1/20/09. And he is doing it. Dammit.

[bobbolink]

4. He won't do it if we don't let him.

Call, write, and ask your friends and family to do likewise!

Letters to the editor, talk to all you can find, etc.

It's up to us.

[dajoki]

26. What pisses me off...

is the fact that they are pitting the needs of one group against the needs of another group. They act and speak like they have to make a choice between decent housing for the homeless or healthcare for children and in the meantime they are completely slashing EVERYTHING. Look at his budget and its easy to see where their priorities are!! The neediest people will have fewer options than they do already, while the military and corporations that run our government get whatever they could possibly want and more.

Unfortunately, I have seen this type of thinking all over the place, because it has been drilled into our heads that there isn't enough to help everyone. I disagree!! They have put SOME people in the position of fighting people with very similar concerns in order to get what they think they need, while forgetting the big picture, we are in this TOGETHER. And I believe that is the only chance we have, sticking together and not falling into their trap of everyone for themselves.

I think we should get on the phones and let them know that we ARE sticking together and not falling into their trap of everyone for themselves.

K&R

[Faygo Kid]

28. I think you're right.

That's the spirit. I'll contact my elected officials. Thanks.

[bobbolink]

31. Thanks for contacting them!

:toast: :bounce: :toast:

[calimary]

41. And you have to have your radar turned FULL on to find all the sneaky-ass ways

they're trying to get around the law, or undermine the rules, or tear things up and leave everything in ruins.

What on earth must slither through their minds, always wanting to pull shit like this?

One thing that's a common thread with them and all their little pirate pals: they don't like rules and regs, they don't want to obey the law, they don't want oversight, they don't want to be held responsible for anything, to anyone. Seems to me anybody that unruly, who wants the free sailing with nobody forcing them to behave - is UP TO SOMETHING. If you're NOT up to no good, then - it's the ashcroft corrolary - you shouldn't get all unwigged when somebody wants to check out what you're doing. Remember what these lovely people told us again and again back then: if you've done nothing wrong, then you shouldn't have anything to worry about. If you're not up to something fishy, then what's the problem, 'eh? It shouldn't bother you at all if somebody starts lookong around and asking questions.

[demgurl]

3. This is so very important. This needs a lot of attention. k&r

[caseycoon]

6. We have to stop this! K&R n/t

[knitter4democracy]

7. I heard about this. Our governor is fighting tooth and nail.

Our Medicaid costs have skyrocketed in Michigan (surprise, surprise--economy falls down and goes boom, and then you have tons of people who qualify for and need Medicaid). Granholm is ticked off. I heard her interviewed where she talked about this. She's fighting for our fair share.

[bobbolink]

10. Please give her a thank you. It would be nice to have a good gov...sigh...

I suppose the CO gov is fighting for this too, but sure falling down on the state health care proposal. :(

I don't know why people can't get this... how many deaths do there have to be????

[knitter4democracy]

22. I wouldn't say she's great (she lost us our votes in the primary), but she gets it.

She's been very hard-hitting on poverty issues, so I like her for that. She understands that Michigan's dying and needs help. If only the GOP pricks in the state congress could get it, too.

[Two Americas]

8. K and R

Hoping to get some discussion on this.

[saracat]

9. Please call Urgent.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

11. Kick n/t

[apocalypsehow]

12. I called my Governor's office and the staffer told me they were very aware of this problem and were

working very hard with the local congressional delegation and other governors to stop it. I told him that "it always seems to be the folks who need these services the most who get hurt first," or words to that effect, and he agreed. I left my name and thanked them for their efforts; don't know how much good it will do but I at least hope some.

Everyone needs to call! This a "bread-and-butter" progressive issue!

[bobbolink]

14. Thanks for the thank you! It *DOES* make a difference. As I said, you can be sure

they're getting a lot of calls and mails from the RW yelling at them for "raising taxes" for Medicaid, etc.

Really, they get inundated with that stuff!

Thanks so much for following up -- I wish everyone would do this!

:hug:

[teacher gal]

13. K & R n/t

[nealmhughes]

15. At the same time, the pockets are wide open for BS like "local responder" WOT training.

I'm sure that Cletus and Clyde and Bubba down at my local cop shop are just dying for that advanced training to determine suspicious activity around reservoirs, power plants, and air fields, vice a new Crown Victoria and haz mat suits that don't leak for clearing out the meth labs.
Oh, wait, Medicaid goes to poor people and DHS contracts to those connected. My bad.

[The Straight Story]

16. Keeping it kicked my friend

Another important thread, keep up the great work!

[ShadesOfGrey]

17. Will do! k&r

[bobbolink]

19. Thanks! Keep those calls and letters comin'!

:hi: :bounce: :hi:

[Kajsa]

18. Will do, Bobbolink!

The cuts are always directed towards those who
are most vulerable, the elderly, disabled and the poor.

Thanks for the info!

:hi:

[bobbolink]

20. Thanks, and pleeez pass this info on!

:hi: :toast: :hi:

Thanks for caring about those of us on the bottom rung!

[Kajsa]

21. I AM one of those on the

bottom rung.

I'm glad to help and thanks for all you do!

:pals: :hi: :toast:

[bobbolink]

30. Good to meecha!

:toast: :pals: :bounce:

Do you have a particular area of poverty that interests you?

Perspiring minds wannna know...

^_^

[Kajsa]

35. ;-) Hmm- I never thought of that.

I'm concerned about everyone " below the line".

What I'm familiar with firsthand, are the disabled and the elderly.

I'm very concerned about our veterans also.

What an outrage for our government to turn its back on
those who sacrificed everything!

Good to meecha, too!

:pals: :hi:

[Beaverhausen]

23. I will call tomorrow

[bobbolink]

29. Thanks!

:hi: :bounce: :hi:

[smokey nj]

24. K&R!

[catchnrelease]

25. Another kick! n/t

[teacher gal]

27. Yes, an important issue.....

..keep it up there.

[pamela]

32. I'll call.

Thanks for posting this!

[bobbolink]

37. Thanks! Let us know what you find out. I'm interested... could be kinda a survey.

:hug:

[blindpig]

33. K&R! N/T

[pinto]

34. Thanks for the post bobbolink. These cuts hit hardest at underserved and underfunded areas.

Agree. Let your Governor and Representatives know your opinion!

[bobbolink]

36. Thanks, pinto! Let us know what your gov says.... could be interesting...

[TexasBushwhacker]

38. First Bush vetoes SCHIP ....

and now this. Where's the compassion in the "compassionate conservatives"?

[halobeam]

39. I'll call too.

Do you know where I can find the related info regarding these cuts in the Budget? I wanted to see if they are including cutting the benefits my family gets through my husbands disability.

[teacher gal]

40. a kick for an important thread n/t

[I Have A Dream]

42. Kicking. (Wish that it wasn't too late to recommend.) nt

[demgurl]

43. Just kicking because it is that important.

We need to keep on our reps and make sure those who need it are taken care of.