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Governor Calls Special Session to Continue Medicaid Talks

By Tony McVeigh

Frankfort, KY – Governor Steve Beshear is calling a special session of the Kentucky General Assembly that will begin on Monday. Only two items will be on the agenda, balancing the Medicaid budget and raising the state's drop out age. In the meantime, Beshear says notices are being drafted of pending cuts to Medicaid providers.

"Reimbursement rates will be cut beginning April 1, 2011, in amounts necessary to cover the shortfall in the Medicaid budget in Fiscal Year 2011."

Beshear says the steps are necessary because lawmakers failed to balance the Medicaid budget in the current legislative session. The session effectively ended today, when the Republican-controlled Senate gaveled in on the 30th day of the session, even though the Democratically-controlled House had adjourned until March 21st.