Raleigh, N.C. — The state Senate voted 47-0 to fill a $205 shortfall in North Carolina's Medicaid health insurance program for the poor and disabled.
Under a measure that will now go to the House, the Department of Health and Human Services will be able to move money from other sources, including money set aside for building repairs and funds left unspent from across state government at the end of the year.
The shortfall was created because lawmakers anticipated they could save money by making dozens of changes to the state's Medicaid program. However, the federal government needs to sign off on all such changes. Those federal approvals came more slowly -- or have not come at all in some cases -- than lawmakers anticipated, sparking the cost overrun.
Even with the deal making its way through the legislature now, Medicaid may have a shortfall when the fiscal year ends on June 30. Lawmakers say the shortfall could reach $250 million, about $45 million more than Wednesday's fix could patch.




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May 18, 2012 11:03 a.m.
Do you mean medicaid? having worked for DHS in this department, I think i do. And it's amazing how many are eligible at this current time, anything from having their medicare premiums paid to spend downs for some to have medicaid pick up the tab, to getting it all..EVEN TO having someone pick u up at the door and take them to the medical appointments they have.
May 18, 2012 9:30 a.m.
May 18, 2012 8:13 a.m.
Pleez. MakoII
i totally agree with you..
May 17, 2012 7:45 p.m.
How mis-managed is aviation safety? It's one of the few agencies that don't get watered down.
How about the Military? People rarely water that down either. Boehner proposed MORE than what the Military asked for!!
But the EPA, OSHA, FDA, etc get lobbied against and watered down all the time.
If they were ALLOWED to operate with their original powers granted and not watered down, they would be effective.
Just like Aviation Safety. Just like NASA was in getting us to the Moon.
Government only doesn't work, when people MAKE the government not work, so they can prosper from it. It's quite logically designed lobbying. Why can't you see that, is the question.
May 17, 2012 3:08 p.m.