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Compromise needs to be found in Medicare feud
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Someone may need to blink soon at the state Capitol.
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The latest staredown between the Democratic-leaning House of Representative and Republican Gov. Haley Barbour and his allies in the Senate involves how the state will fill a $90 million Medicaid gap. With federal matching dollars, the $90 million actually means about $360 million for the state to provide health care services to about a quarter of its population.
House members have considered increasing the tax on cigarettes by $1 a pack while Barbour has proposed an assessment, which most call a tax, on the state's hospitals. The cigarette tax hike died in a Senate committee earlier this session.
Senate leaders say they are meeting daily with Mississippi Hospital Association and Medicaid representatives and Barbour's staff to craft a solution. One idea, which officials said would not involve a cigarette tax hike or a tax on hospitals, surfaced Friday, but details have yet to be revealed publicly.
A solution must be found, or Medicaid officials say valuable services will have to be cut. In addition to the $90-$100 million needed the current fiscal year that ends June 30, lawmakers will also need to find $260 million for the new year that begins July 1.
Barbour and his allies should have an incentive to seek a compromise because his no tax increase stance is becoming increasingly untenable.
Even some Republicans, such as new District 92 Rep. Becky Currie, are going against the governor on the cigarette tax hike issue. And the more Barbour resists a cigarette tax hike, the more opponents can claim he still has ties to his days as a lobbyist for Big Tobacco.
The clock also is ticking for House Democrats, though, as the regular session of the Legislature has only about three weeks remaining until April 19.
If the Medicaid impasse is not settled by then, the game likely will be played in special session under the governor's rules. In that scenario, Barbour could gain an upper hand via his authority to set the session agenda and what topics can be discussed.
Thousands of Mississippians who depend on Medicaid for their health care services are waiting to see how the funding fight concludes. Regardless of which proposal is considered, those citizens stand to be the losers if a timely solution is not found and services have to be cut.
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©The Daily Leader 2009
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Francis X. Rullan |
Apr, 01 2008 |
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This is a "Medicad" situation, not a "Medicare feud."
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