Ala. Governor Says He May Consider Special Session That Would Take Up Medicaid Funding
But Gov. Robert Bentley says lawmakers need a "rest" before he makes that decision. Outlets also report on Medicaid developments in California, New Jersey and Utah.
Montgomery (Ala.) Advertiser:
Bentley: Special Session On BP, Medicaid, Prisons Possible
Gov. Robert Bentley expressed disappointment Thursday in the death of his $800 million prison construction proposal and floated the possibility of bringing it back in a special session. ... The loss of the bill is one of many issues that could come up in a special session. Legislation sponsored by House Ways and Means General Fund chair Steve Clouse, R-Ozark that would have split the state’s share of the BP settlement over the 2010 oil between paying state debt and funding coastal road projects – giving Medicaid $70 of the $85 million it says it needs – fell apart Tuesday in a dispute over allocation of other road money to the state. (Lyman, 5/5)
AL.com:
Bentley Doesn't Rule Out Special Session; Says 'Rest' Needed First
Gov. Robert Bentley said this morning he would forge ahead with trying to fix Alabama's prisons and with reforms to state's Medicaid program. ... Bentley did not rule out calling a special session to address the two issues, but indicated he would wait a while if he did. "Everybody's got to rest a little bit right now," Bentley said. (Cason, 5/5)
California Healthline:
State Makes Changes To Managed Care Program For Elderly, Disabled
California, in a departure from previous policy, will not automatically enroll low-income elderly and disabled residents in managed care health plans during the next round of a three-year pilot project, state officials announced Thursday. The state made the change in response to widespread concern that people were being enrolled in plans without their knowledge and without a clear understanding of what managed care meant for them. Future enrollment will be voluntary, officials said. (Gorman, 5/5)
NJ Spotlight:
Advocates For Addicts, Mentally Ill Still Worried About New Medicaid Rates
State officials responsible for the Medicaid program assured lawmakers on Tuesday that they have been working closely with the independent agencies that coordinate community mental-health and substance-abuse programs to ensure New Jersey’s transition to a new payment model rolls out smoothly over the coming 14 months. (5/5)
Salt Lake Tribune:
Sim Gill Finds ‘Nothing Worth Celebrating’ Over Utah Medicaid Funding
Salt Lake County's behavioral health officials outlined to the state this week how the county would spend its share of money from the partial Medicaid expansion approved last session by the Legislature and Gov. Gary Herbert. What that plan won't contain is county District Attorney Sim Gill's scathing criticism of the meager support extended by state lawmakers to deal with mental-health and substance-abuse problems confronting the community. The county's portion of state funding, he told the County Council before it approved the plan, "won't even come close to the need. This is a failure of public policy. We need to be doing full Medicaid expansion to meet our needs." (Gorrell, 5/5)
