Carolina Politics Online

A series of Medicaid regulations proposed by President Bush would slash an estimated $514.6 million from North Carolina in the coming year, according to a report issued Tuesday morning by Families USA, a national health care advocacy organization.

“States have two alternatives,” Ron Pollack, executive director of Families USA, said during a press conference. “They can discontinue services the federal government won’t pay for, or they can try to pay for all the services themselves.”

According to the report, titled “Bad Medicine,” the state stands to lose $2.7 billion over the next five years, and the ripple effect will cost the state 11,700 jobs and $412 million in lost wages during the first year alone.

The regulations in question affect case management and rehabilitation services for people with developmental and other disabilities and mental illnesses, school outreach programs that help eligible children get Medicaid, medical education programs and funding for public hospitals.

Asheville Citizen-Times

I’m extremely skeptical of this job loss number.  Furthermore, I have no problem with these cuts.  The Federal Government shouldn’t be paying for any of this in the first place.  If the State of North Carolina wants to have all of these services then let North Carolina pay for it.

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