Kathleen O’Connor, health care industry analyst and journalist, founded
CodeBlueNow! upon the belief that the public has a right to be involved
in creating its own health care policy. Involved in healthcare for 30 years, she
shares her unique ability to communicate current health care topics in
a language everyone can understand.Document Actions
A Sign of Things to Come?
From Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, October 21:
“Hawaii state legislators and Hawaii Medical Service Association officials last week criticized actions by Gov. Linda Lingle's (R) administration last week to end funding for Keiki Care, the state's universal health care program for children, the Honolulu Star-Bulletin reports (Altonn, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 10/17). Beginning Nov. 1, the state no longer will provide funding for the 2,000 children enrolled in the program, but private partner HMSA will pay to cover the children through the end of 2008.”
With Medicaid costs anticipated to increase 7.9% each year, states are going to be hard pressed to make some difficult decisions. I recall in 2003 or 2004, Mississippi was going to cut 13,000 Medicaid nursing home beds to balance the state budget. In 2005, state after state was struggling with how to balance its Medicaid budget. This from the New York Times in 2005: In Mississippi, Soaring Costs Force Deep Medicaid Cuts.
We cannot go back to the mindless “Rates, Regulations and Body Parts” Health Policy that we have in this country—at both the state and federal levels. The public does not want to balance a state budget off the backs of its seniors and children. We are a better nation than this.
We need to reach out to each other, find ways to build consensus, examine funding options and alternatives and create a path for reform. It is possible.
Kathleen
