Budget Cuts in Massachusetts Could Jeopardize Funding for Health Programs

Facing with a budget gap of nearly $1.1 billion, acting Massachusetts Gov. Jane Swift (R) and members of the state Legislature are looking for ways to cut between $500 million and $750 million from the state budget, including nearly $150 million in health-related services, the Boston Globe reports. The cuts could include the state Senate's proposal to add $29 million to the "fledgling" Prescription Advantage program (Klein, Boston Globe, 10/18). The program, which took effect in April, provides prescription drug coverage for low-income Massachusetts residents, as well as for individuals over age 65 and those under age 65 with certain disabilities. Enrollees pay premiums, deductibles and co-payments based on the their annual income, with monthly premiums raging from $0 to $82 (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 4/3). Also "in jeopardy" of being cut is $100 million in proposed services for the mentally ill and mentally retarded, including a program for adolescents currently "stuck" in mental hospitals although they were scheduled to move into group homes. A report from the Tax Equity Alliance for Massachusetts released this month stated that a $12.3 million increase for the state Department of Elder Affairs and approximately $20 million for various health and human services programs could be cut. Facing "vast disagreement over spending priorities," and with a budget that is already three-and-a-half months late, Swift said that the cuts "while painful, are a necessary part of efforts to cope with an economic downturn." Still, the Globe reports that with "widespread support" to maintain proposed spending levels for "most" health care programs, "a handful" of other state services could be "hardest hit" (Boston Globe, 10/18).