Amid budget woes, states consider changes to care for developmentally disabled

Fiscal concerns have lawmakers in New York and Kansas considering changes in how they fund care for the developmentally disabled.

The New York Times: $500 Million Chasm Opens In Proposed State Budget
A $500 million hole has opened in Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo's proposed state budget because of changes in how Washington plans to reimburse the state for the care of people with developmental disabilities, the governor said on Wednesday. The state has been negotiating with the federal government for several months over the state's billing practices; federal officials have said that the state has overbilled Medicaid for the institutional care of people with disabilities (Hakim, 2/20).

Kansas Health Institute: House Panel Hears Bill To "Carve Out" DD Services From KanCare
Parents and groups that represent persons with developmental disabilities testified today in favor of a bill that would keep developmental disability services out of KanCare. But officials from the administration of Gov. Sam Brownback said if the bill were to become law, it would hinder their efforts to reduce Medicaid costs and better coordinate care for the program's enrollees. They said it would add $126.2 million to government spending by 2017, a number questioned by the bill's supporters (Shields, 2/20).