Judge likely to rule this week on Medicaid hearing

The Clarion-Ledger, 7/30/8

Hinds County Chancery Judge Patricia Wise is expected to decide this week whether an administrative hearing on proposed deep cuts in Medicaid can proceed as planned.

If the hearing is halted, so would the immediate cuts to Medicaid.

Wise is expected to rule before Friday, when the hearing is scheduled, on a request by health-care providers.

Attorneys for nearly 40 hospitals and 130 nursing homes asked Wise on Tuesday to postpone the hearing until Medicaid officials show why they need to make cuts in a health-care program that is not in immediate danger of running out of money. Medicaid serves almost 600,000 Mississippians.