The White House is seeking a compromise with governors over Medicaid funding, and is rolling out the big guns in an effort to reach agreement this week. At issue is the Administration’s desire to reduce expenditures by some $60 billion while “closing accounting gimmick loopholes” that enable some states to get more than “their fair share” of federal dollars.
In this era of bitter partisanship, Pres. Bush has been able to accomplish what few others have; create agreement between members of both parties on a highly contentious issue.
“Gov. Bob Taft (R-Ohio) said, “I don’t think there are any divisions among governors” when it comes to losing federal funding, adding, “The real issue is it’s governors against the White House and Congress” (AP/Albany Times Union, 2/28). ”
In today’s New York Times, Taft said “Governors are very anxious about signing on to a $60 billion number if we don’t know how you will get there. We like ideas that save money for the federal government and the states through program efficiencies, but we do not support recommendations that would save the federal government money at the expense of the states.”
His comments were echoed by Romney, Republican governor of Massachusetts; “”Governors will argue en bloc that we want our Medicaid funding retained. We don’t want reductions.”
Without the support of Republican governors, and more than a few Democrats, the Adminstration’s version of Medicaid reform is going nowhere. We’ll be watching this for months to come…
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