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KY Medicaid Clears House

By Tony McVeigh

Frankfort, KY – A bipartisan plan for balancing Kentucky's Medicaid budget has easily cleared the House of Representatives. The House plan, crafted with input from leaders on both sides of the aisle, sailed through the House 94-4. All four opponents, including Rep. Jim DeCesare of Rockfield, are Republicans.

"I don't believe we should be rushed to vote on something as important as this without having time to dissect it and understand it. Twenty-five minutes on a multi-hundred million dollar bill is just not enough time. And the time I spent looking at the bill, I found some holes in it."

The bill lets Gov. Beshear shift Medicaid funds forward, but if he fails to meet projected savings from managed care, targeted cuts would have to be made. Beshear likes his original plan better, but is happy education would be spared any cuts. Senate Majority Leader Robert Stivers was reluctant to comment on a bill he has not seen.