State budget woes imperil Medicaid funds

The Clarion-Ledger, 1/6/8

Most Mississippi lawmakers agree it’s a must to find the $86 million needed to fund the Division of Medicaid this fiscal year.

But with little money to spare, none knows where it will come from.

Without the money, and another $168 million in additional funds for fiscal 2009, Medicaid Executive Director Robert Robinson said services will have to be cut for the agency that serves about 568,000 people. He has not been specific about services that could be stopped.

Other health-care issues – such as whether Medicaid’s recertification process needs restructuring, along with small-business health insurance legislation – could come up this legislative session as well.