Slow transition by states

According to Paul Dioguardi, the Health and Human Services Department director of inter-governmental affairs, the states that are slow in adopting the health care reforms would succeed in making up for the lost time. This will be possible because these states will adopt the models implemented by the other fast moving states. In addition, from the year 2014, the Medicaid program is scheduled to include the American population earning higher incomes that most of the states have disallowed until now.Medicaid is a joint responsibility

The health care program is presently the joint responsibility of the state and the federal governments. The recent economic crisis in the country has reduced the income earned by the state governments whereas the spending under this health care assistance program has risen. Since 2009, the federal government has provided additional money to the states to cover their Medicaid expenses. The assistance is scheduled to end in this month.

Cuts seen to the Medicaid program

A report published jointly by the National Governors Association and the National State Budget Officers states that the pressure on the Medicaid program will continue. During the current financial year, 43 states have cut costs. Of these 24 states have reduced the payments made to doctors, hospitals, and other health care providers, 23 seek to reduce spends on prescribed medications, and 20 have constrained the services covered by the program. During the next year, 45 governors have proposed additional cuts to reduce the Medicaid bill.

Maryland to cut cost by one percent

The state’s Medicaid program has witnessed a rise of 11% in the number of enrollments to 920000 in the last one year. The General Assembly of Maryland has proposed to reduce its $7 million budget by almost one percent in the next financial year. Additionally, the payouts given to the managed-care facilities are proposed to be reduced by 2%, and doctors, private nurses and home care service providers pay will be decreased by one percent. Finally, a fee of 2% to 3% will be levied on nursing homes and hospitals to participate in the program.

States to continue facing pressure

Although the federal government is trying to assist the state governments to meet their Medicaid program expenses, the states will continue to face pressure in the coming years. Donald Berwick who is the administrator of the federal centers for Medicaid and Medicare services said that the agency was trying to help find ways to reduce this pressure faced by the states.