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Mike Johnston
Colorado General Assembly | 200 E. Colfax Avenue | Denver, CO 80203 | 303.866.4864
Colorado Medicaid Statistics, http://www.medicaid.gov/Medicaid-CHIP-Program-Information/By-State/colorado.html, (last visited Jan. 27, 2012). 2 Id. 3 Id.
with an annual enrollment count of about 550,000 each year. 4 In 2009, the enrollment number jumped up to just over 700,000 for the year.5 National Context: Most states across the country are making budgetary cuts in Medicaid enrollment and eligibility because of the recession. In Utah the legislature passed a bill requiring the Department of Health to apply for federal grants to help simplify the enrollment and renewal process for Medicaid. . . .6 Oregon has submitted waivers to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to save an estimated $240 million in FY 2012 through the creation of Coordinated Care Organizations to manage physical, oral and mental health services, improve quality and reduce costs.7 Other than Colorado, South Carolina, Nebraska, South Dakota and Arizona are also reducing Medicaid payments to physicians.8 Along with Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, and Washington are making cuts to hospitals.9 The payment cuts, which require federal approval, are part of a larger effort by states to reduce the cost of Medicaid, typically the largest- or second-largest expenditure after education. In some states, dental services and other optional benefits have gone under the knife.10 To help balance some of the costs, many states are requiring enrollees to sign up for private Medicaid managed care plans.11 States on average currently pay Medicaid providers about 72% of what Medicare pays.12 Similar to SB 12-085, Washington passed a bill that preserves the Basic Health Plan (BHP), but it reduces the programs funding and limits eligibility.13 Fiscal Impact: There is currently no Fiscal Note available for SB 12-085.
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Id. Id. 6 Id. 7 Id. 8 Phil Galewitz, Medicaid payments go under the knife, USATODAY (July 5, 2011), http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2011-07-05-state-medicaid-reimbursements_n.htm. 9 Id. 10 Id. 11 Id. 12 Id. 13 Impact of HB 1086 on Health Care Authority and the Medical Purchasing Administration, STATE OF WASHINGTON HEALTH CARE AUTHORITY/MEDICAID PURCHASING ADMINISTRATION, http://hrsa.dshs.wa.gov/News/Budget/MedicaidBudgetImpactHB1086_31711.pdf; See http://hrsa.dshs.wa.gov/news/budget.htm (last visited Jan. 27, 2012).