Nevada Legislative Committee reinstates Governor's proposed Medicaid cuts

A Nevada Senate-Assembly budget subcommittee has voted to reject some of the changes to the $900 million state Medicaid budget proposed by Gov. Jim Gibbons (R) and others, the AP/San Jose Mercury News reports (Gines, AP/San Jose Mercury News, 5/12).

The committee voted to continue a 5% cut in Medicaid payments to hospitals instituted in October 2008, but it rejected a proposal by Gibbons to cut an additional 5% in July 2009 (Ryan, Las Vegas Sun, 5/11). The committee's decision will require $9.7 million in additional general funds over the next two fiscal years (AP/San Jose Mercury News, 5/12).

In addition, the committee voted to reduce the rate for in-home personal care services. The committee did agree with the governor's suggestion to limit hours for in-home services.

The budget panel also voted to reinstate about $1 million in the Medicaid budget for vision services for adults and another $1 million for pediatric home health services for children from low-income families. The subcommittee also voted to uncap the Check Up program budget that provides medical care for low-income children, estimating that about 24,000 children would be covered under the program next fiscal year and 31,000 in the following fiscal year.

The subcommittee agreed with the governor's suggestion to eliminate $1.6 million in payments to hospitals for graduate medical education over the next two years and to cut more than $5 million in enhanced payments for pediatric and obstetrics services (Las Vegas Sun, 5/11).