Medicaid payment

ryanteaguebeckwith — Thu, 10 May 2007 14:34:58 -0400

House budget writers announced that they have boosted Medicaid relief to counties by $40 million.

That brings the total one-time payments that House leaders would give to $100 million, Dan Kane reports.

"I know when you vote for this budget everybody will be able to go home and tell your county commissioners and your taxpayers that we helped with their Medicaid burden this year," said Rep. Phil Haire, a chief budget writer.

The Jackson County Democrat said all the counties would share $50 million for Medicaid relief. Counties with Medicaid recipient populations of 20 to 25 percent would share an additional $10 million, while the rest would be split among counties that have even higher percentages of residents on Medicaid.

A county commissioners association had criticized the smaller amount.

It's unclear whether the Senate will go along with the House measure. Senate leaders say they want to do more than a temporary fix to the issue.

North Carolina is the only state to require counties to pay a fixed share of Medicaid costs.

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Medicaid payment