Georgia's Medicaid program runs out of money

[CShine]

Georgia's Medicaid program, which provides health care for 1.4 million Georgians, ran out of money this morning as lawmakers remained deadlocked over a mid-year budget plan that would rescue the program.

The fiscal 2004 mid-year budget includes about $171 million extra to help prop up Medicaid, which has seen rapidly escalating costs in recent years.

<snip>

If the state can't pay its bills, many doctors might stop seeing Medicaid patients. Those patients, in turn, would be more apt to seek routine care in expensive hospital emergency rooms, further driving up costs.

<snip>

The impasse has also endangered more than $100 million the state would provide to fast-growing school systems, $17 million for a children's health insurance program and $9 million for pre-kindergarten classes.

http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/legislature/0304/18medicaid.html

[bleedingheart]

1. but remember that state legislators have good health care

provided by the state's tax payers.

[saigon68]

2. Don't forget 30,000 Walmart children also get care from GA taxpayers

Disgusting

[hatrack]

4. Have you heard? Wal-Mart now underwrites NPR

So now each day on ATC, we get little soothing soundbites about how Wal-Mart "builds communities" and "provides opportunities".

Pardon me while I :puke:

[JeebusH]

3. since the Repukes run things in Georgia ...

who will poor Zell(out) Miller blame???