As the State Legislature goes to work this week in Olympia, its biggest challenge will be balancing the state budget. With a nearly $5 billion shortfall for the next biennium, which begins in July 2011, several programs are on the table for reductions, or even elimination. One of those is the Basic Health program, which provides coverage to over 55,000 people around Washington State, about 10,000 of whom get their coverage and care at Group Health. Continue reading ‘Federal support for state Basic Health’
Archive for the 'Medicaid' Category
The Washington State Legislature held a one-day special session on Saturday, Dec. 11, to address an anticipated billion dollar shortfall in the current operating budget. Lawmakers enacted a pre-negotiated set of budget bills that cut the anticipated shortfall by approximately $700 million.
The cuts made in this special session spared some state-funded health care programs from being completely eliminated for now, but that may have to change as lawmakers come back to address an expected $5 billion shortfall in the 2011-2013 budget. We know the Legislature will have even tougher decisions to make when it reconvenes in January. Continue reading ‘State budget cuts a taste of more to come’
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