Dayton delays Medicaid cuts for thousands of elderly [View all]
The State of Minnesota is delaying a set of Medicaid rule changes that would have caused thousands of low-income elderly Minnesotans to lose government benefits covering home and nursing care. The changes were due to take effect with the new year on Wednesday. But after an outcry from advocates for senior citizens and the poor, Gov. Mark Dayton ordered the state Department of Human Services (DHS) to postpone them for a year.
(snip)
The changes, which were adopted by the Legislature and signed into law by then-Gov. Tim Pawlenty in 2009 as part of a broader effort to rein in soaring Medicaid spending, would have made it more difficult for low-income senior citizens with more limited needs to qualify for government supports that help them stay in their homes.
(snip)
However, in the final weeks of the year before implementation, advocacy groups raised alarms over whether the planned cuts in home care would force senior citizens out of their homes and put them at greater risk of illness or hospitalization. Others questioned the urgency of pursuing Medicaid cuts now that the recessionary budget crisis is over and the state is running a surplus of $1.09 billion.
more..
http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/health/238274121.html
=====
Good for you, governor.
= new reply since forum marked as read